The IT industry operates in a highly reactive state, with tech teams constantly responding to unplanned and key issues. Whether it’s a large-scale data breach, system-wide software failure, or correcting an error before it escalates, the nature of these roles leaves little space for proactive work.
Instead of planning and preventing future issues, employees in IT often find themselves firefighting. It creates a work environment dominated by stress, unpredictability, and relentless deadlines.
Constant pressure to resolve issues quickly takes its toll, as workers spend long hours managing crises that could have been mitigated if not for a lack of resources or clarity in processes.
When employees are stuck in this reactive loop, burnout becomes inevitable. The psychological toll of being perpetually in crisis mode is further compounded by inadequate support structures, with many employees feeling isolated as they navigate complex, high-stakes challenges.
Why nearly one-third of tech workers are ready to quit
The wave of resignations sweeping through the tech industry shows no signs of slowing down. In 2024, 28% of workers are expected to leave their jobs, matching the levels seen during the “Great Resignation.”
The current climate in tech is pushing workers to their breaking points, and without intervention, the industry risks losing a portion of its workforce.
A worrying 10% are prepared to quit without another role lined up, demonstrating the severity of dissatisfaction and burnout among tech professionals. Such a trend details a deeper issue: employees are willing to risk financial insecurity to escape toxic or unsupportive work environments.
Burnout isn’t just about the money
While compensation is certainly a factor, it isn’t the only driver of attrition in the tech industry. ResumeBuilder reports that 56% of employees who plan to quit in 2024 feel underpaid, and 44% are dissatisfied with their benefits.
Stress is a major underlying issue, with 43% of workers citing it as a primary reason for wanting to leave. The numbers reveal that a stressful work environment is often a more significant factor than salary alone.
Adding to this, employee engagement remains low. In the first quarter of 2024, engagement levels dropped to an 11-year low, with many workers feeling disconnected from their work, undervalued, or simply burnt out.
Lack of engagement is a clear signal that businesses need to focus on more than just financial incentives. Offering employees a say in decision-making, building a positive work culture, and demonstrating appreciation are all necessary steps to combat burnout and improve retention.
How employee turnover is draining tech company budgets
Employee turnover is an expensive problem for tech companies. Replacing a single worker can cost anywhere from 50% to 200% of that employee’s annual salary, according to research from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).
Costs include recruiting, onboarding, training, and the loss of productivity that comes with bringing a new person up to speed. In a sector where wages are already high, these financial impacts can quickly accumulate.
For technology companies, which face some of the highest employee turnover rates, this financial drain is unsustainable. A constant cycle of losing workers and hiring replacements also puts strain on remaining employees, exacerbating burnout and further increasing turnover.
Companies must focus on retention strategies that go beyond pay, making sure that workers feel supported, engaged, and valued.
The growing burnout problem in cybersecurity and how to fix it
Cybersecurity professionals are under increasing pressure, and the data reflects this. According to ISACA’s 2024 State of Cybersecurity report, 66% of cybersecurity workers report feeling more stressed than they were five years ago.
81% of cybersecurity workers believe that the complexity of the security threats they face has intensified. Combined with the aftermath of the pandemic, tech advancements have created a perfect storm for burnout in this sector.
A sudden shift to remote work during the pandemic meant that many cybersecurity teams were responsible for protecting both corporate and home networks, often without sufficient support or resources.
A new, blended work environment left networks more vulnerable, and malicious actors were quick to exploit the situation. Cybersecurity teams found themselves stretched thin, managing not only their own remote work challenges but also the added complexity of protecting makeshift infrastructures.
Automation is the key to easing cybersecurity burnout
The solution to easing the burden on cybersecurity teams lies in automation. Organizations are increasingly turning to technology to streamline manual processes and reduce human error. In fact, 37% of global companies plan to automate their manual security processes in the coming years, while 38% are focusing on cloud service providers to achieve similar goals.
Automating tasks like threat intelligence processing can free up valuable time for employees, allowing them to focus on more strategic activities.
When automating routine tasks, companies can reduce the number of errors that come from manual data handling. It improves efficiency and allows cybersecurity professionals to concentrate on addressing higher-level threats that require human judgment and expertise.
Automation also makes processes faster, scalable, and more consistent, helping to alleviate the workload and reduce burnout.
How to simplify threat detection and give your team a break
Tools like DNS firewalls and vulnerability scanners are helping cybersecurity teams reduce the time they spend manually detecting and responding to threats. DNS firewalls can automatically trigger quarantines for potentially infected devices, eliminating the need for teams to manually track down and isolate threats.
In addition, vulnerability scanners can detect risks as soon as new devices connect to a network, further reducing the manual workload. Automated solutions are key in simplifying operations, freeing up employees to work on more complex issues, and cutting down on repetitive, time-consuming tasks that contribute to burnout.
Software developers are overwhelmed, here’s how to help
As technology expands, the demand for developers to continuously update their skills has become more intense, especially in the area of artificial intelligence (AI). According to the Reveal survey, 75% of software developers are now incorporating generative AI into their work, and 50% say it has helped them improve productivity.
Despite the benefits, integrating AI into development processes remains a challenge for many organizations.
AI requires new skills, and many developers are struggling to adapt quickly enough to meet these demands. As the pressure to develop faster and more efficiently increases, developers face mounting stress, which, if left unaddressed, could lead to further burnout.
The tools that are supercharging developer productivity
In order to combat the resource and talent crunch, businesses are increasingly turning to low-code/no-code platforms, which allow non-technical employees (citizen developers) to create applications.
New platforms provide an intuitive interface that simplifies the app development process, enabling less experienced employees to build functional apps without needing the support of senior developers.
Low-code platforms are a win-win, reducing the strain on skilled developers and allowing businesses to roll out new applications faster. When helping more employees to contribute to app development, these tools help organizations meet growing demands without the need to expand their development teams.
Digital workplaces are improving developer workflows
Digital workplace platforms are helping developers stay organized and efficient by consolidating multiple tools into a single interface. These platforms bring together everything from chat and task management to file storage and data analysis in one place, reducing the need for developers to switch between applications.
When centralizing workflows, digital workplace platforms help developers focus on meaningful work rather than administrative tasks. It will improve productivity and reduce the cognitive load that can lead to burnout.
Embedded analytics is boosting developer efficiency
Embedded analytics and business intelligence tools are becoming essential components of the software development process. According to the Reveal survey, 73% of developers already incorporate embedded analytics into their apps, and 72% expect business intelligence to play an even larger role in their work moving forward.
New tools help developers to make better, data-driven decisions, improving the overall quality of their products. When providing insights into user behavior and system performance, embedded analytics help developers optimize their applications and address problems before they escalate, further improving their productivity and job satisfaction.
