Cybersecurity has a burnout problem and it’s spiralling out of control.
The regular rollout of tech innovations and upgrades which make the industry dynamic and exciting have created a pressure-cooker environment for cyber professionals. Constant change fuels constant stress, as they face shifting goalposts, increased workloads, and the need to upskill to stay ahead of criminals.
In a security role where threats exist 24/7, it’s easy to slide into “always-on” mode, increasing mental and physical fatigue and the risk of costly human errors. As cybersecurity representatives, we can’t ignore this burnout burden which is slowly crushing our industry.
Expectations and workloads are sky-high, but more and more cybersecurity employees are finding themselves hung out to dry, with insufficient training, threadbare resources, and no time to deliver the tasks demanded. Throw in the lack of a clear career or development path and they can feel trapped in their jobs, with no help in sight.
At a time when society is rightly shining a light on the importance of mental health, we must lift the gloom around our professionals and ensure their welfare is protected whether they work in an office or remotely.
Doing nothing is not an option. The industry has a skills shortfall of four million people, heaping yet more pressure on cyber professionals. This devastating gap needs to be plugged desperately but it’s only growing bigger. Meanwhile, cybercrime is continuing to flourish — surging nearly 600% since the start of the pandemic.
Without urgent action, the effects of burnout on businesses and their workforce will be severe. Leaving cybersecurity professionals unsupported and loading them up with stress is a recipe for corporate malfunction. Criminals are waiting to pounce on any mistakes and companies whose defenses are breached may pay a heavy price. The human cost is also substantial, with under-pressure employees more likely to leave, require extra time off or even suffer breakdowns.
We are calling on industry leaders to commit to helping tackle the burnout problem in cyber.
At Hack The Box, we are dedicated to this challenge. A factor massively contributing to the burnout epidemic is the skills shortage within the industry and the lack of proper tools to equip professionals to tackle the latest threats. This is at the heart of what we do at Hack The Box.
Our Cyber Performance Center is a human-first platform that creates and maintains high-performing cybersecurity individuals and organizations with clear career path programs and retention strategies for fighting burnout, fatigue, or skill gaps.
But, we can’t do it on our own. We need sustained commitments through skills, tools, time, expectations, and career development programs that foster a healthier work environment and enable cybersecurity teams to deliver their jobs efficiently and grow their skills faster and better.
Those working in cybersecurity are the hidden backbone of society. Working tirelessly to support critical infrastructure like transport systems, power grids, healthcare records, universities, the lifeblood of society, to daily everyday tasks taken for granted like sending an email, to making a purchase online.
Let’s give them the support they deserve.
