Increasing Retention Capacity

Why do organizations work so hard to recruit a talented workforce, but fall flat when it comes to retention? After all, rapid turnover negates investments in recruiting and training, stalls projects and innovation, and is often a gauge for the health of a company. Given the growing workforce deficit, it is essential to improve retention in security, especially among underrepresented groups. But what are those factors that improve and hinder retention in security? I conducted a survey and integrated existing social science research to identify those core factors. I will first describe the research design and the main findings. Next, and building upon existing social science research on social change and organizational structure, I will offer several concrete steps organizations can take to improve retention, including a nuanced approach to professional growth and addressing burnout, as well as key cultural factors within the workplace environment. This discussion also includes what the security industry writ large can do to help augment retention, especially when it comes to professional conferences, marketing, and some of the biases embedded in them.

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