Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • The Security Leadership Issue
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
CybersecurityManagementSecurity Leadership and ManagementLogical SecuritySecurity & Business Resilience

One of the biggest threats to a cybersecurity team? Employee burnout

By Jon Check
burnt out employee

Image via Pixabay

January 12, 2023

Cyberattacks may be on the rise, but one of the biggest threats to an organization’s cybersecurity isn’t just hackers — it’s burnout among cybersecurity teams. A recent study from Mimecast reveals that 84% of cybersecurity professionals in North America are experiencing burnout.

Employee burnout in the cybersecurity field is detrimental for several reasons. It leads to increased mistakes as overworked cyber defenders tend to overlook essential details, it causes a lack of motivation needed to come up with critical solutions, and it results in higher resignation rates that trigger further burnout, as teams don’t have the workforce to complete all the tasks needed for a job that runs 24/7.

With the shifting threat landscape, an organization’s security infrastructure must operate at its strongest capacity. Organizations cannot accomplish this when their cybersecurity teams are not fully functioning. As such, leaders must better determine the leading causes of burnout within their teams and how they can adequately address them.

The leading causes of employee burnout in the cybersecurity field 

The talent shortage within the cybersecurity industry continues to be a persistent issue. According to Cyberseek, there are nearly 770,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions in the U.S alone. When there’s a gap in the workforce, employee burnout tends to increase. In fact, the talent shortage was cited as a top reason for burnout among cybersecurity professionals.

When teams are left with an insufficient number of cyber defenders, those remaining are expected to work in multiple different roles, sometimes more than they can handle. This often means signs of stress and burnout are ignored, and it leaves no room for career growth. Leaders that prioritize work over their employees’ wellbeing will eventually create an unproductive work environment where employees will disengage or leave.

Another key contributor to burnout are inefficient work processes. There are often too many security tools and too little communication among teams. Tools that are not integrated increase frustration, as additional unnecessary steps may be required to complete a single task on list that keeps growing. Traditionally, information technology (IT) and security departments have operated in rigid silos, with cybersecurity working behind closed doors in solitary environments and, as a result, creating a fragmented security framework. This lack of integration creates challenges for teams as they are reacting to changes in IT solutions and policies being implemented, making it harder to operate efficiently.

Addressing burnout through hiring practices and work culture

Organizations must reevaluate how they recruit talent if they wish to effectively reduce the cyber talent shortage. Leaders will continue to struggle to maintain their workforce if they don’t look for talent beyond those with a traditional cyber background. This means recruiters should prioritize specific characteristics and soft skills, such as critical thinking, communication and problem-solving, that make a great cybersecurity professional rather than wait for the perfect resume. This will expand the talent pool and encourage innovative ideas essential for solving today’s significant cybersecurity challenges. Additionally, companies should invest in training programs that help potential recruits develop the necessary skills for the job while emphasizing the education of their employees. Even for those with years of experience in cybersecurity, education is a constant aspect of the job, especially as the threat landscape continues to evolve.

Creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains said talent is equally vital to recruiting talent. A people-first culture where team members feel empowered and prepared to face whatever threats they encounter is the ultimate solution. Cybersecurity can often be a challenging and intense field with constantly evolving threats, so if organizations don’t take care of their people first, they can’t be expected to do their best work. Leaders should encourage employees to try new projects and roles and voice their opinion on what needs to shift, whether it be team structure, changes to work schedules, or training opportunities.

To ensure teams are prepared to face the rise of cyberattacks, cybersecurity leaders must do better to minimize the stress and burnout that is easy to acquire in such a demanding job. At best, burnout leads to reduced performance, and at its worst, it leads to truly regrettable attrition with employees exiting the cyber field.

Overall, leaders must hold themselves accountable to reinvent the way they manage their teams to promote better collaboration and growth. As a result, this will foster a work culture where cyber defenders can do their best work. In a world full of unknown threats, the threat of employee burnout among cybersecurity teams can and must be controlled.

KEYWORDS: burnout cyber attack cybersecurity leadership employee morale Security Operations Center (SOC) talent gap

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Jon Check is Senior Director of Cyber Protection Solutions at Raytheon Intelligence and Space.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security magazine's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024 award...
    Security Enterprise Services
    By: Security Staff
  • cyber brain

    The intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable cybersecurity...
    Cyber Tactics Column
    By: Pam Nigro
  • artificial intelligence AI graphic

    Assessing the pros and cons of AI for cybersecurity

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant implications...
    Cybersecurity Education & Training
    By: Charles Denyer
Subscribe For Free!
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Security audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Security or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Crisis Response Team
    Sponsored byEverbridge

    Automate or Fall Behind – Crisis Response at the Speed of Risk

  • Perimeter security
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Why Property Security is the New Competitive Advantage

  • Duty of Care
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Integrating Technology and Physical Security to Advance Duty of Care

Popular Stories

Red laptop

Cybersecurity leaders discuss Oracle’s second recent hack

Pills spilled

More than 20,000 sensitive medical records exposed

Coding on screen

Research reveals mass scanning and exploitation campaigns

Laptop in darkness

Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report shows rise in cyberattacks

Computer with binary code hovering nearby

Cyberattacks Targeting US Increased by 136%

2025 Security Benchmark banner

Events

May 22, 2025

Proactive Crisis Communication

Crisis doesn't wait for the right time - it strikes when least expected. Is your team prepared to communicate clearly and effectively when it matters most?

November 17, 2025

SECURITY 500 Conference

This event is designed to provide security executives, government officials and leaders of industry with vital information on how to elevate their programs while allowing attendees to share their strategies and solutions with other security industry executives.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products

Related Articles

  • cloud

    The biggest threats to enterprise cloud networks (and how to avert them)

    See More
  • 5 mins with Hamilton

    5 minutes with Mike Hamilton – The biggest threats to the critical infrastructure

    See More
  • city street

    The biggest cyber threats to public safety agencies

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • physical security.webp

    Physical Security Assessment Handbook An Insider’s Guide to Securing a Business

See More Products
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing