A new US survey by Object First has revealed that 84 per cent of IT and cybersecurity professionals feel “uncomfortably stressed” by the risks of cyberattacks – findings that raise alarm bells for the UK technology workforce, where cyber resilience and employee wellbeing are equally under strain.
The survey of 500 IT and security workers across the United States found that three quarters (78 per cent) feared being personally blamed for incidents, with half reporting their organisations do not consistently prioritise employee mental health. Almost one in five said they felt “hopeless and overwhelmed” during or after a security breach, and nearly six in ten (59 per cent) had considered changing jobs due to stress.
Echoes in the UK While this data reflects the US market, UK experts say the findings mirror the pressures facing British IT teams. The British Safety Council and others have already highlighted a postcode lottery in workplace wellbeing support, with many employers lacking structured approaches to mental health. For IT and cybersecurity staff, where the stakes include financial and reputational loss, the absence of adequate support can have especially severe consequences.
The Object First survey also pointed to the complexity of recovery tools as a key stress factor: 74 per cent said their systems were too complicated to use without specialist expertise, while 67 per cent said faster, more reliable backup would reduce pressure. This resonates with UK research showing that wellbeing is often undermined when employees lack the right tools to do their jobs efficiently.
Industry voices David Bennett, chief executive of Object First, described the situation as “a business resilience challenge as much as an HR issue”, warning that the pressure to act as the “last line of cyber defence” is driving talent away.
Mark Alba, managing director of Cybermindz – a non-profit collaborating with Object First on stress reduction resources – said: “Even with the strongest defences, cybersecurity fails when people burn out. Leaders need to model recovery behaviours and make wellbeing part of resilience planning.”
Why UK employers should take note The UK’s technology sector employs more than 1.8 million people, many in high-pressure cybersecurity and IT roles. With cyberattacks costing UK businesses billions annually, employers who neglect the mental health of their IT teams’ risk not just absenteeism and turnover, but also operational resilience.
As the cyber threat landscape intensifies, the wellbeing of IT and security professionals is becoming a workplace priority that UK employers cannot afford to ignore.
