You can have the greatest, most secure network in the world, but a weak password somewhere in the chain can render it all useless. Even seasoned system administrators can fail to realize how important it is to have strong Password Security. Many users do not understand how to create a good password and use simple phrases and names that are easy to remember but even easier to bypass.
Assigning passwords to staff is a good idea in theory but not very good in practice. Users that are not interested in memorizing a complex string of numbers and letters will either complain to your bosses or end up writing it down somewhere near their keyboard, creating a huge vulnerability to prying eyes. The best way to compromise is to educate your network users or trick them into using good passwords.
Leetspeak has long been a favorite language protocol in IT for generating simple yet effective passwords. By using a basic noun, you can integrate symbols and numbers in place of normal letters. A weak password like chicago1, for example, can be converted into a strong one by making it cH1c@g01. While it may take users a bit of getting used to, it is still a better alternative to letting them use their own.
Another great option is using a password manager. As an extension to your browser, you can allow a manager to generate secure passwords for different services and autofill them when you are visiting a particular site. You can even go so far as not even knowing your own passwords, which can be great or potentially disastrous.