It’s been known for years that industry-wide stress hinders the security workforce. Now with the added pressures brought on by COVID-19, employee burnout is an even greater issue looming over security leaders. This ongoing stress is detrimental to the motivation and overall happiness of employees – making them more likely to leave the industry altogether.
It is certainly important to bring awareness to the industry-wide stress that hinders our security workforce, but in order to tackle this issue head on, leaders must make employee wellbeing the priority. Even throughout this complicated, stress-inducing year, security professionals can still achieve what I have termed Cyberlandia: the optimal state of cyber readiness, with happy employees who feel empowered to face whatever threats they encounter. During the current pandemic, cybersecurity teams may be feeling like Cyberlandia is an unattainable goal. However, changes made during these times will have lasting beneficial effects on employees and the industry no matter where their career takes them.