Addressing Cybersecurity Skills Gap in a Competitive Cybersecurity Market

The Great Resignation has intensified the pressure on HR management to discover, acquire, and retain top IT security professionals, especially in light of the on-going cybersecurity skills gap. Retaining top talent, for the most part, results in the development of the next generation of cyber experts over time.

Hiring and retention of top performers has fast become a key priority for organizations. This is especially true in the cybersecurity industry, which is suffering from a severe skills shortage. In fact, as of Q2 2021, there were approximately 500,000 open positions in cybersecurity, according to CompTIA and Cyber Seek, a job-tracking database from the US Commerce Department, making finding the right individual for a technical post in IT security like finding a needle in a haystack. As a result, attracting and developing cybersecurity professionals has never been more crucial – and here are a few best practises for doing so.

Also Read: Three Critical Factors for Keeping Enterprises Safe from Cyber Threats

Employee retention

Employee/employer culture must be synergistic, even in an industry with a skill-deficit. What an employee and an employer want must be in sync, and when they are, the possibilities are endless.

Employee retention can never be a “one-size-fits-all” strategy, which means recruiting managers and HR executives must devote the time and resources necessary to learn about their employees and the organization as a whole. Understanding what the employees do a daily basis is the first step. To achieve this level of knowledge, it’s critical to get in touch with employees on a regular basis, look for ways to address their concerns, and recognize and reward good work. Furthermore, people value transparency, so having open, honest conversations with employees about the company’s future, job performance, and other relevant variables will help retain them in the long run.

Job satisfaction

People want to work for companies that develop cutting-edge technology and have a significant impact on the industry. They want to be a part of the solutions that address today’s most pressing issues – and in IT security, where cyber threats loom and endanger enterprises on a regular basis, there’s a huge chance to do just that.

Employers are responsible for sharing a vision with their workforce. Employees must understand how their actions affect the organization, its consumers, and the landscape. Employees may not understand they are helping to solve a huge, real-world problem, so it is up to leadership – especially HR leaders – to articulate why the company exists, the difference it is making, and how each employee contributes to it.

The impact and power of the technology, as well as the expertise they can gain, are what attract security professionals to an organization. After a business has established that, it is time to ensure that they are providing them with a rewarding, fulfilling and positive working environment.

Also Read: Strategies to Protect Distributed Infrastructures in a Hybrid World

Assessing the work environment

It is the responsibility of company leaders, both in HR and outside of HR, to assess the work environment regularly. They should examine employee advancement inside the company, for instance: are employees progressing in their jobs and is their day-to-day routine varied? Do they have a sense of being a part of the narrative? Do they have the necessary support and resources, such as training, mentorship, and guidance to do so? These are difficult questions to ask, but the answers can make a big difference in retention.

Finally, when assessing the overall work environment, one must consider remuneration and benefits when staying with a company over time. It is critical to ensure that pay is competitive in the industry, and companies should consider other benefits and access to growth possibilities when reviewing the whole package.