Is burnout in cybersecurity inevitable, or are we finally learning how to prevent it?
Welcome to Razorwire. In this episode, I sit down with clinical traumatologist Eve Parmiter and occupational psychologist Bec McKeown to talk about what's really happening in high pressure cyber roles. This isn't about vague wellness advice or corporate tick-box exercises. We're looking at the actual mechanics of burnout: why CISOs are breaking under impossible expectations, how remote work has changed team dynamics and what the early warning signs look like before someone hits crisis point. If you work in cybersecurity, particularly in leadership or incident response, this conversation offers strategies you can use today.
Summary
Two-thirds of cybersecurity professionals say their jobs are more stressful now than they were five years ago. The pressure is mounting, but the support systems aren't keeping pace. In this conversation, Eve and Bec bring research, clinical experience and real examples to explain why burnout is becoming an occupational hazard in cyber teams. We talk about the gap between a CISO's responsibility and their actual authority, why technical skills alone won't protect your team from collapse and how to spot the signs that someone is struggling before it becomes a crisis. We also cover what actually works: building teams that can handle pressure, creating cultures where people feel safe to speak up and finding peer support through initiatives like the Mental Health in Cybersecurity Foundation.
Three Key Talking Points:
- Human Factors and the Reality of Leadership Burnout
- Understand why burnout is becoming an occupational hazard for cyber leaders, especially CISOs, who are caught between responsibility and a lack of real power. Learn how unaddressed team dynamics, poor succession planning and social isolation create stress that technical controls alone cannot fix.
- Spotting Burnout Early - Inside and Around You
- Get practical advice on identifying warning signs in yourself and your colleagues. We discuss real strategies for managers and peers: recognising behavioural changes, loss of humour, withdrawal and other ‘red flags’ that are far more accurate than any policy checklist.
- Building Resilience and Finding Peer Support
- Discover actionable steps for resilience, beyond ‘just coping’, including the creation of peer communities like the Mental Health in Cybersecurity Foundation. Find out how a shared community is essential to surviving and growing in this field.
If you want real answers about burnout, actionable insights for your career and lessons from the frontline of cybersecurity wellbeing, this is one episode you can’t afford to skip.
On power vs responsibility:
“CISOs are a great example. You only have so much power, but you've got a high degree of responsibility, and personal responsibility coming into it. So that can feel very unfair and very unbalanced and that can create a lot of resentment.”
Eve Parmiter
Listen to this episode on your favourite podcasting platform: https://razorwire.captivate.fm/listen
In this episode, we covered the following topics:
- Understanding Burnout Trends in Cybersecurity Learn why 66% of professionals report higher stress levels than five years ago and what's driving the increase across the industry.
- Recognising Human Factors as Security Risks Discover how overlooking team wellbeing creates vulnerabilities that no technical control can fix.
- Navigating the Working Location Debate Find out how remote, hybrid and office preferences impact team cohesion and what it means for your mental health.
- Balancing CISO Responsibility Without Authority Understand why security leaders face mounting pressure without the power to create change and how this fuels burnout.
- Spotting Burnout Before It's Too Late Learn to identify the subtle behavioural shifts that signal burnout in yourself and colleagues before it becomes a crisis.
- Creating Teams That Can Weather the Storm See how managers can build resilience by recognising and responding to individual stress patterns.
- Leveraging Different Perspectives Under Pressure Explore why mixing personalities and viewpoints strengthens problem-solving and team support during incidents.
- Building a Culture Where People Can Speak Up Understand what psychological safety actually looks like and why it's essential for preventing burnout.
- Finding Professional Support That Actually Helps Learn where to access peer support and resources designed specifically for cybersecurity professionals.
- Getting Involved in Industry-Wide Solutions Discover how the Mental Health in Cybersecurity Foundation is creating practical frameworks and communities to address burnout collectively.
Resources Mentioned
1. ISACA (Cybersecurity Research and Reports)
- Referenced by Bec McKeown regarding global research on cybersecurity stress levels.
- Website: https://www.isaca.org/
2. NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming)
3. Major UK Brands Affected by Cyber Attacks
4. ‘Be Left of Bang’
5. Maslach’s Research into Burnout
6. Mental Health in Cybersecurity Foundation (Community and Support Resource)
7. The Cyber Sentinel's Handbook (by James Rees)
Connect with your host James Rees
Hello, I am James Rees, the host of the Razorwire podcast. This podcast brings you insights from leading cyber security professionals who dedicate their careers to making a hacker’s life that much more difficult.
Our guests bring you experience and expertise from a range of disciplines and from different career stages. We give you various viewpoints for improving your cyber security – from seasoned professionals with years of experience, triumphs and lessons learned under their belt, to those in relatively early stages of their careers offering fresh eyes and new insights.
With new episodes every other Wednesday, Razorwire is a podcast for cyber security enthusiasts and professionals providing insights, news and fresh ideas on protecting your organisation from hackers.
For more information about us or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss email podcast@razorthorn.com.
If you need consultation, visit www.razorthorn.com, We give our clients a personalised, integrated approach to information security, driven by our belief in quality and discretion.
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