Only about a third (34%) of cybersecurity professionals plan to stay with their current employer, highlighting declining job satisfaction across the field and challenging CISOs to be aggressive and innovative in how they retain talent in a challenging labour market.

This is according to research from IANS and Artico Search based on insights on compensation, roles, and retention based on a survey of 500 security professionals.

As organisations rely on their security teams to address an increasing volume and speed of security threats, the findings point to a shift in how cybersecurity leaders must think about talent. Compensation remains important, but it is not the primary driver of retention.

“Security leaders are being asked to do much more with the same or fewer resources than they had previously, and that fundamentally changes how they need to think about talent,” said Nick Kakolowski, Senior Research Director at IANS.

“As pressure on cyber teams skyrockets, CISOs who double down on mentorship, coaching and career development can create a sense of purpose and progression that helps their employees avoid burnout.”

The report found that wage growth plays a bigger role in retention than absolute pay levels. Employees receiving event modest pay increases report significantly higher satisfaction and are more likely to stay than those with flat compensation, regardless of their pay level.

CISOs need a multi-pronged approach to manage satisfaction and attrition, the report suggested. Flexible work models correlate strongly with satisfaction and retention.

Hybrid work arrangements, particularly one to two days onsite per week, deliver the strongest work-life balance outcomes.

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Leadership emphasis on security drives staff commitment, with 73% of security staff who see security as a core organisational priority report being satisfied with their careers, versus just 19% among those who perceive little or no organisational backing for security.

“Security leaders are navigating a complex talent environment where expectations are rising, but resources are not,” said Steve Martano, IANS Faculty member and Partner at Artico Search.

“We still see junior-level cyber professionals commanding high levels of compensation, but it is clear that top-quartile talent is seeking more than just a hearty paycheck. Visibility, career growth, and support from security leadership are necessary to keep high performers”