Overwork, Burnout and the Toll on Mental Health in Cybersecurity
1 min read
Summary
Burnout is a serious issue in the cybersecurity industry, with high-pressure environments, a heavy workload and a masculine culture that makes employees reluctant to admit to feeling stressed.
Burnout is characterised by exhaustion, mental distance from work, and reduced productivity, and can have a serious impact on an individual’s career and personal life.
The issue is made worse by a shortage of resources, a constant stream of alerts and the need to stay up to date with new technologies, which intensify stress and workload.
To beat burnout, employees should set clear boundaries between work and home life, practice self-care, take advantage of community support networks and speak out to challenge the stigma around mental health issues.
To tackle the issue more broadly, companies need to encourage a culture of open conversations about mental health, provide better resources and tools to reduce workload and recognise that appearances of invincibility can hinder an honest discussion about stress and burnout.