A new study has claimed the best IT talent has high ambitions, leaving mid-market organizations struggling to acquire and retain the right workers.
The report by Advania claims to shed some light on the cybersecurity, cost management, and operational complexity hurdles so-called mid-market businesses face – including uncovering an alarming trend that cybersecurity awareness and training is failing to translate into good practices.
Despite clear prioritzation of cybersecurity training, the implementation of basic security measures was found to be falling short, leaving these types of businesses at a greater risk of attacks.
Cybersecurity and IT talent struggle
Businesses also face challenges such as incomplete security strategies and a lack of accountability following cyberattacks, making it more challenging for companies to address their mistakes.
Nearly half (47%) of mid-market organizations develop cybersecurity strategies in-house, and around two-thirds provide regular awareness courses and training, however Advania found that basic security practices like firewall (55%) and antivirus (57%) maintenance are neglected by many companies.
The real challenge highlighted by this study is the one of IT talent retention. Only 2% of businesses reported successfully retaining “excellent” IT staff over two years, and nearly one in three (28%) lost “excellent” talent within six months.
Pravesh Kara, Director for Security and Compliance for Advania said: “the threat landscape is constantly evolving, and mid-market businesses remain particularly vulnerable due to limited resources and outdated security practices.”
Looking ahead, Kara calls for proactive budgeting and investments in cybersecurity intelligence, awareness, protection, detection, and response. It’s clear, too, that mid-market orgs should also put talent retention under the microscope in order to encourage better worker loyalty.
