Cyber stress: are we burning out?

Stress and workplace burnouts are growing problems in the cybersecurity industry.

A degree of stress perhaps goes with the territory: cybersecurity is, after all, a fast-paced industry. And responding to a cyber attack is always going to mean working under pressure.

But when does stress becomes too much, and when does it risk tripping over into burnout? Cybersecurity teams are increasingly expected to be on call around the clock, and there is little to no let up in the pace of cyber attacks.

And without the downtime to decompress and recharge, the consequences can be severe.

Stressed-out operators underperform and make mistakes. Burned out staff are more likely to leave, forcing firms to spend more on hiring and training replacements.

Stress and burnout among cyber teams are now a real worry for CISOs. And our guest for this episode argues that they should be a concern for boards too.

So how can employers reduce the causes of stress stress? And what can we do as individuals to spot the early signs of burn out and avoid them?

Our guest is Katie Maycock, of GYST Wellbeing, a consultant who works across a range of high-pressure industries, including cybersecurity. She discusses why stress should not be seen as “just part of life”in the industry, and why looking after yourself is the key to remaining effective, as a cybersecurity professional.