9 steps to a successful top-down approach with your password manager

Take advantage of these pre-written email templates that will help you announce the roll-out of Bitwarden Password Manager to your end-users and IT team. It’s also important for employees to see high-level executives talk about security on all-hands or town hall calls and presentations to help jump-start buy-in.

Implementing any requirements across an organization requires flexibility, clear communication, and consistency. Instituting password management is a common path for enterprises that are taking security seriously. Those setting the requirements need to clearly document and communicate these policies; employees need a way to understand and acknowledge what’s expected of them. Consider Why bring Bitwarden to your entire business – it might convince you to do so. 

Use our detailed roll-out guides to help make Bitwarden a success at your organization. Read through Rolling out the Bitwarden Password Manager to your Organization and use the Bitwarden Enterprise Password Manager Implementation Guide to help you structure and schedule the key phases of your rollout.

Have your IT department set up training sessions across the company in order to support all employees learning how to use the new password manager. These can be organized by departments or teams, and they can be virtual training sessions available to everyone.

Companies can add an element of hands-on learning by storing passwords that employees need for their daily work in the new password manager and asking them to access the password manager in order to get the login credentials. This ensures that they will follow through on logging into Bitwarden and is a fun way to help employees learn how to use their new password manager.

There are many reasons to discourage, or even prohibit, employees from using browser-based password managers: lack of cross-browser support, limited device compatibility and secure sharing. Probably the most important issue is that of security. Browser-based password managers simply lack critical security features such as advanced multifactor encryption and authentication to protect your credentials. Also, keep in mind that browsers are built to give you access to websites and not to protect your credentials with end-to-end encryption. Learn more about why companies are looking beyond browser-based password managers here. 

Additional resources

Instructions on how to deactivate browser password managers using device management

Instructions on how to automate deployment of Bitwarden browser extensions to users with an endpoint management platform or group policy

Make your password manager part of the default software suite given to all employees on their professional computers. This reduces the friction of users needing to install the software themselves and sends the message that cyber security is a core priority at your company. Here’s a useful guide on how to deploy the Bitwarden browser extension company-wide.

Prioritize building a cybersecurity culture in the workplace by implementing key strategies, such as ensuring credential security best practices and regular cyber awareness training. Cybersecurity and strong password management practices is not a set-it-and-forget-it thing—it requires regular training, reminders, check-ins, and educational opportunities.

Organizations that want to promote a robust, top-down cybersecurity culture should ensure that the reasoning for the need for a password manager is understood by C-level executives, and that VPs, directors, and other people leaders share this information with and encourage their own reports to use Bitwarden. Provide them special training in Bitwarden geared toward leaders, such as how to manage a team collection, and use this as an opportunity to practice change management skills.