COVID-19 may have given cybersecurity talent retention an artificial prop up over the last two years. For example, job satisfaction was on a downward trend from 2018 to 2019, but with the pandemic came a plateau in 2020 and 2021. Was the plateau due to newfound satisfaction or were there other factors, such as economic instability, lockdowns and mandates?
It’s hard to know for sure, but based on a recent ISACA State of Cybersecurity survey, it appears that 2020 and 2021 were a ‘blip’ on the satisfaction meter, with downward trends back again. Today, pandemic restrictions are being lifted. With employees expecting different things – such as remote work – employers need to keep a close eye on retention once again.
Dissatisfaction on the Rise
According to the survey, security leaders are finding it harder to retain cybersecurity workers. Meanwhile, teams are already understaffed and vacancies remain unfilled. The most common factors for employees leaving are:
Recruited by other companies
Poor salaries and bonuses
Limited promotion and development
High work stress levels
Lack of management support.
Also, cybersecurity workers are feeling ‘completely checked out’ because of the work environment and burnout, resulting in doing the bare minimum. Artificial intelligence and other tools, such as monitoring and orchestration, can help, but humans are behind these wheels. Add into the mix work retain cybersecurity employees drives
