Meet the Challenges of DEI and Build for the Future
There’s a significant and growing shortfall in the global cybersecurity workforce. Currently estimated at around 3.4 million by the (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, it is likely to worsen before it gets better. The shortfall increased by 25% between 2021 and 2022 alone.
Now, there are many reasons for the workforce shortfall. Most of these are internalized. They include poor collaboration between HR and hiring managers; a lack of training and professional development opportunities; misalignment of staff resources; a lack of prioritization for security; inadequate budgeting, and poor culture.
However, there is also an issue that often goes unnoticed, affecting not only the industry but also individual organizations. It transcends all the problems we’ve just mentioned and is rooted in all of them –especially company culture.
If you don’t measure up in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), your organization is likely to be suffering more than most from the cybersecurity workforce shortfall.
Poor DEI = Poor Cybersecurity Staffing
In its State of Cybersecurity 2022 Global Update on Workforce Efforts, Resources, and Cyberoperations report, ISACA has found that ‘staffing levels, ease of hiring and retention remain pain points across the globe.’ From this research, we know that:
Caucasian males earn more than males of color and Caucasian females, and Caucasian females make more than females of color. A further report by Aspen Digital has found that minority groups are increasingly underrepresented in the cybersecurity industry.
The (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study found that “DEI programs play a significant role in preventing or aggravating workforce shortages.”
Two-thirds of respondents to the survey said that an inclusive environment is crucial for their team’s success.
So why is it that DEI initiatives have not been widely implemented, and only 40% of respondents reported that their organizations offer DEI training?
Staff shortfalls in cybersecurity are markedly lower in those organizations that are hot on DEI. Only 19% of organizations that have implemented DEI strategies have a significant shortfall in the cybersecurity staff, compared to 34% of organizations that have failed to implement DEI.
Introducing CyDEI – Your gateway to a More Inclusive Cybersecurity Team
We understand the DEI challenges that the cybersecurity industry faces.
The solution that many organizations attempt is to hire experienced candidates from diverse backgrounds. This problem is that it reduces an already limited talent pool available to hit diversity targets. It’s a short-term measure at best – and does little to improve DEI in the medium to long term.
The CyDEI initiative tackles this conundrum. You get an immediate impact on your team’s diversity, and you immediately begin to build for the future.
How does CyDEI work for you?
There are two significant challenges that organizations have when starting to create a more inclusive cybersecurity team:
1. You don’t have the headcount
It can take a long time to recruit a diverse cybersecurity team. You may have the budget to do so, but locating and hiring the people with the right skills and ensuring that your team is being built to take advantage of all the benefits of DEI is tough.
2. You need staff in the office
One tactic to improve diversity is to recruit from a wider (and often global) candidate pool. The potential for people to work remotely in cybersecurity helps you to do this. However, not all organizations want a remote team. This could be an insurmountable hurdle if you require your people to be in the office.
CyDEI offers a unique solution to these challenges.
We’ve partnered with non-profits, training, and education providers to help connect you to a new wave of diverse talent. We’re taking the initiative on behalf of the industry, allowing people from diverse backgrounds to get the industry and commercial experience they need.
When your organization partners in our CyDEI initiative, we can help you:
- Hire staff who are already trained to your specifications
- Hire candidates locally to you or who are willing to relocate for you
This is an industry groundbreaker, helping diverse candidates to benefit from equal opportunities and helping organizations to benefit from DEI in their cybersecurity teams.
To learn how Tiro Security and our partners can help you achieve your strategic DEI goals, contact us today.
Read more about DEI challenges in the cybersecurity industry in the following articles:
Diversity in Finance: 5 Reasons DEI Strategies Are Failing in the Finance Industry
DEI Recruiting Strategy: Why Is It Crucial in Cybersecurity?
7 Tips to Improve Your Cybersecurity Strategy with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion