According to recent research, the number of overtime hours IT security executives put in every week has increased significantly.
A lot of risk is posed for people who switch off in their free time.
Tessian, an email security company, has recently published its annual Lost Hour analysis, based on a survey of 600 security leaders in the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and Africa. According to the report, the average security leader in the United Kingdom and the United States has worked 16.5 hours overtime a week, up five and a half hours per week, compared to the same time last year. A third (18%) work 25 hours above what they contractually agreed.
Always on
Tessian says that 10% of security officers spend anywhere between 25 and 49 additional hours a week in the office. Those who spend 49 hours extra are actually spending seven hours extra a day, including weekends.
Four out of five (79%) individuals in the United Kingdom have difficulty switching from work, while a fifth (21%) say they can rarely or never switch off. These figures are especially high compared to the previous year, when 59% said they had problems switching off.
According to Josh Yavor, the security chiefs of Tessian, they must be all in charge of their duties to ensure their organization''s security and safety.
This all in a sense of self can turn into always on, leading to overtime hours and anxieties of stress. CISOs have their limits and responsibility to advocate for themselves and time constraints to avoid burnout. It is critical that CISOs are able to lead by example and to establish their teams for continuous operational work.