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A recent report by Hack The Box states that a 600% increase in cyber threats since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to extreme, increased threat levels for those working in cybersecurity. It’s estimated that between mental fatigue, stress, and burnout, approximately 84% of workers within the cybersecurity field are negatively affected. Key findings from the report:
Approximately 90% of CISOs (Chief Information Security Officers) are concerned about stress, fatigue, and burnout affecting the team’s overall well-being.
Approximately 74% of business leaders report staff are continuously asking for time off due to the stress involved.
Approximately 59% of business leaders confirmed they don’t invest in new tools to enable the teams reporting to them to do their roles more effectively.
Approximately 65% of cybersecurity professionals are burned out due to skill gaps and pressure to perform beyond their understanding and capabilities.
A 2019 Nominet study pinpointed burnout based on the following factors:
Insufficient budget and resources (32%)
Lack of work-life balance (32%)
Keeping up with security threats (25%)
Recruitment and retention of skilled professionals (23%)
According to IT security workers, the main reasons for burnout are the constant need to protect against continuously evolving threats, long and irregular working hours, and the continuous state of high alertness. Given the evolving nature of the threat landscape, which often changes hourly, keeping up with the newest security technologies is often mentally exhausting.
New strategies implemented by several CISOs nationwide include:
Promoting work/life balance. This includes regular time off and establishing clear boundaries between workplace expectations and employees’ personal lives with their families.
Investing in automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) – the most recent Splunk report noted that 75% of organizations opted to use AI and machine learning for identifying cybersecurity threats, dramatically reducing the analysts’ burnout.
Fostering a supportive work culture by creating an environment where team members feel comfortable discussing mental stress issues without fear of reprimand.
Hiring an experienced security audit firm that will take over many of the required experiences of the organization, but make sure of their expertise. You pay for what you get.
Encouraging stress reduction techniques. Require employees to step away from the computer for a certain amount of time and promote certain relaxation techniques or exercises. Buffet lunches are another perk to show worker appreciation.
Conducting a cybersecurity workforce study that includes all departments within your organization to stress the importance of the work/life balance, set realistic expectations, and put a plan in place to adhere to the company’s mission while still honoring work/life balance.
To ensure the work/life balance is being properly implemented, each organization should be working with their personnel to see that time off from work was adhered to, efforts going above and beyond aren’t just recognized but rewarded, and that outside activities like lunches, sporting, and other leisure activities are heavily promoted within the organization. Overall, it’s crucial to ensure the company is well-invested in the mental well-being of all cybersecurity employees and professionals.
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