Kathleen Pai, Chief People Officer, N-able explains why retaining cybersecurity talent demands clear career paths, skills development and purpose-driven workplaces.
Cybersecurity talent is highly sought after in today’s job market.
Talented, experienced and trained individuals are constantly sought after by competitors who want to create a team that will keep their business safe.
The competition for talent often leaves companies having to address costly staff turnover all while also working to minimise employee disengagement.
The challenge isn’t just finding cybersecurity professionals; it’s retaining them.
Employers need to reframe cybersecurity roles as part of a long-term career path rather than a stepping stone to success elsewhere.
While certifications and technical skills are important factors to selecting the talent needed for the job and running a cybersecurity program, the day-to-day role requires more.
Technical skills alone are not enough to build a career and technical training is not enough to build loyalty and inspire growth.
Instead, businesses must cultivate environments where cybersecurity professionals feel a part of the bigger picture, with a clear future mapped out.
In today’s dynamic job market, long-term tenure at a single company is increasingly rare.
The median employee tenure is just 3.9 years and trending downwards, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For employers, this shift underscores the importance of designing a workplace that not only attracts talent but also retains it.
To build long-term loyalty, especially in high-demand fields like cybersecurity, companies must invest in their people in meaningful ways.
This starts with understanding what employees need at different stages of their careers.
The question employers need to be thinking about is: How do we invest in our people in a way that is valuable to them and helps them grow their careers?
Early-career professionals may seek mentorship, structured training and hands-on experience, while mid-career employees often look for leadership development, communication skills and opportunities to lead high-impact projects.
Cybersecurity professionals work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment where their skills are constantly in demand.
Strategic investment in their development and sense of purpose helps build a resilient workforce.
To retain cybersecurity talent, companies must design a workplace where employees feel they are being invested in which, in turn, creates long-term loyalty:
A holistic approach, thinking about progression, skills and job impact, will reduce disruptive and costly turnover and help create a resilient cybersecurity workforce.
The future of cybersecurity will rely on companies successfully bringing together technology capabilities with skilled talent to drive organisational success.
Organisations need to balance technical training with interpersonal skills development.
Communication, empathy, leadership and teamwork are essential to a positive work environment.
Too often, organisations focus on getting people ‘in the role’ with technical skills but fail to equip them with the tools to lead others or thrive in teams.
The desire to retain team members can sometimes lead to promotion without equipping them with the right skills to lead.
Instead, by offering the right training at the right time, organisations can show employees that their growth matters whether it’s as a leader in the company or a valuable subject matter expert on the team.
Cybersecurity remains a highly technical discipline and technical skills remain a must.
However, employers that value these skills above all else risk talent seeking growth and investment in their career journey elsewhere.
Workplaces where talent is nurtured and employees can go on to continue developing deep expertise or pursue leadership roles will see longer term success to retain talented cybersecurity specialists by helping them be happy, fully engaged and thriving in their careers.
When your cybersecurity talent is happy, engaged and thriving, they’ll be ready to effectively defend against threats and keep businesses safe.
