Earlier this month, we shared with you interesting statistics regarding the challenges faced by IT specialists in their work. Many of them regularly experience burnout, which not only leads to errors in their work but also affects their spiritual well-being and may result in problems with alcohol.
Recent studies have revealed a significant shortage of cybersecurity specialists, with an estimated deficit of about 3.5 million people.
Due to this shortage, specialists often have to take on more responsibilities, which directly impacts both their psychological well-being and the safety of organizations.
Burnout is not just a personal problem; it is a business problem that has a negative impact on a company’s ability to protect its data, reputation, and profit.
A staggering 83% of IT security experts admit that they, or someone from their department, have made mistakes due to professional burnout, leading to security violations.
Moreover, 85% of these experts are considering leaving their current place of work due to burnout, and 24% are even planning to leave the field of cybersecurity altogether. Additionally, 77% argue that the level of stress at work directly affects their ability to ensure the safety of customer data.
The survey also revealed a gap between security guidance provided by leaders and the experiences of their teams. A majority of 76% of respondents believe that their leaders would not be able to handle the daily pressure they face dealing with anxious signals.
Further highlighting the issue, 45% of IT professionals feel that their leadership does not take proactive measures to address professional burnout. They express the need for additional training and mentoring to combat burnout more effectively. Astonishingly, 82% stated that they were told that stress and burnout are just a normal part of their work.
Mark Van Zadodhehoff, CEO of Devo Technology, commented on the results, emphasizing that prioritizing the well-being of security teams is not only a “good act” but also a strategic decision in the best interest of businesses.