Burnout in cybersecurity: How CISOs can protect their teams (and themselves)

Cybersecurity is a high-stakes, high-pressure field in which CISOs and their teams constantly battle threats, compliance requirements, and business expectations. The demand for 24/7 vigilance, sophisticated attacks, and a shortage of skilled professionals have led to a burnout epidemic in the industry.

burnout cybersecurity

For CISOs, this isn’t just a personal issue, it’s a business risk. A burned-out team is less effective, more prone to errors, and more likely to leave, creating knowledge gaps that further strain security operations. So, what can CISOs do to protect their teams and themselves from burnout? Here’s a structured approach.

“In addition to managing cyber threats and changing business challenges, today’s CISO must also deal with the increasing burden to deal with regulations such as the EU GDPR, NIS2, and DORA. These challenges are placing immense pressure on CISOs, resulting in heightening stress and the risk of burnout on them and their teams,” Brian Honan, CEO at BH Consulting, told Help Net Security.

Recognizing the signs of burnout in cybersecurity

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight – it builds up over time. Here are some warning signs to watch for in both yourself and your team:

Emotional exhaustion – Constant stress, lack of motivation, and feelings of helplessness.
Cognitive fatigue – Difficulty focusing, making decisions, or keeping up with new threats.
Physical symptoms – Sleep issues, headaches, and even immune system problems.
Disengagement – Apathy, decreased productivity, or lack of interest in security innovations.
High turnover and absenteeism – If team members are frequently calling in sick or quitting, burnout may be a key factor.

Managing the workload: Prioritization and automation

Security teams are overwhelmed by a never-ending stream of alerts, incidents, and compliance requirements. CISOs need to set realistic priorities and leverage technology to ease the burden.

Automate repetitive tasks – Use AI-driven tools for threat detection, log analysis, and patch management to reduce manual workload.
Adopt a risk-based approach – Not every vulnerability or alert is high-priority. Encourage teams to focus on critical risks first.
Outsource where necessary – Consider MSSPs (Managed Security Service Providers) for areas like 24/7 monitoring.
Enforce no-meeting blocks – Give teams focus time instead of constant status meetings.

Building a sustainable on-call culture

Always-on security operations lead to exhaustion. If security professionals never get a break, they’ll eventually burn out or make mistakes.

Rotate on-call duties – Distribute on-call responsibilities fairly across the team.
Ensure proper coverage – If a team member is unavailable, have backup resources instead of overloading others.
Set realistic response expectations – Not every alert requires an immediate, after-hours response. Define what’s truly critical.
Use SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) tools – Reduce the burden of manual triage and response.

Encouraging a healthy work-life balance

It’s easy for cybersecurity professionals to feel like they can never disconnect from work. CISOs should set a culture of balance, ensuring their team members can rest and recharge.

Encourage PTO use – Make it clear that time off is necessary and won’t be penalized.
Set no-email hours – Define times where team members aren’t expected to check emails or Slack messages.
Offer flexible schedules – Let employees adjust work hours to fit their needs, as long as security objectives are met.
Create a no-blame culture – Avoid punishing mistakes. Instead, use them as learning opportunities.

“For a profession that is tasked with understanding and managing risks, many CISOs are not good at managing the risks that burnout can cause. CISOs must remember that their role is an advisory one where they should be guiding decisions for the business to make rather than carrying the burden alone. Setting boundaries regarding their work responsibilities, learning to disconnect, staying physically active, and delegating are essential for maintaining mental resilience. At the same time, supporting their teams is crucial, as they too face growing demands. Promoting mental health awareness, ensuring people take time off, investing in training, and fostering peer collaboration can help prevent burnout. Without proactive management, the impact of burnout can have major negative consequences on both security and compliance efforts,” Honan explained.

How CISOs can avoid their own burnout

CISOs aren’t immune to burnout either. The pressure of managing security risks, justifying budgets, and responding to board expectations can take a toll.

Delegate and trust your team – Don’t micromanage every decision. Build a strong leadership pipeline.
Schedule downtime for yourself – Block out time for deep work and personal recharge.
Set boundaries with executives – Not every security concern needs an instant response; set clear expectations with leadership.
Seek peer support – Join CISO networks or communities where you can discuss challenges with peers who understand.

Investing in mental health resources

A growing number of cybersecurity teams are integrating mental health support into their programs. Consider providing:

Access to therapists and counselors – Offer employee assistance programs (EAPs) with mental health resources.
Mindfulness and stress management programs – Encourage practices like meditation, exercise, and wellness initiatives.
Regular check-ins – Leaders should periodically check in on their team’s well-being, not just performance.

More about