Job satisfaction levels among women working in the cybersecurity sector have seen a steep decline over the past two years, according to the latest figures from ISC2. The data shows that only 67% of women reported being satisfied with their jobs in 2024, down from 82% in 2022. Men also experienced a drop in job satisfaction, although at a lower rate, with satisfaction levels falling from 73% in 2022 to 66% in 2024.
This downward trend in job satisfaction has been attributed to the increase in layoffs and budget cuts within cybersecurity teams in recent years. The study found that around 32% of female respondents and 23% of male respondents reported experiencing security layoffs in their organizations over the past year. Job satisfaction was notably higher among both women and men in organizations where no layoffs had occurred, with satisfaction rates at 71% for women and 70% for men.
ISC2’s research further highlighted the disparity in cybersecurity cutbacks experienced by women compared to men within organizations. Women were more likely to face budget cuts (40% vs. 36% for men), hiring freezes (42% vs. 37% for men), and freezes on promotions or raises (36% vs. 31% for men).
The study also revealed that job satisfaction in the cybersecurity field is strongly influenced by flexible working practices. Fully remote workers reported the highest levels of job satisfaction, while men working in office full-time had the lowest satisfaction levels at 62%. Interestingly, women in a similar office-based, full-time setup reported significantly higher job satisfaction levels at 68%.
ISC2 emphasized the importance of flexible working arrangements, pointing out that the reduction in remote and flexible working post-pandemic has had a negative impact on job satisfaction. This is particularly significant for individuals with additional needs such as childcare responsibilities.
When looking at the gender breakdown in the cybersecurity workforce, the study found that women make up just over 20% of the workforce in the 14 countries surveyed. The representation of women in cybersecurity varied by country, with Italy having the highest percentage at 26.7% and Germany the lowest at 14.6%. In the US, 18.3% of cybersecurity workers were women, while Canada and the UK had percentages of 21.2% and 17.9%, respectively.
Despite progress in some areas, a significant proportion of respondents indicated that their security teams have no women at all (16%), while only 5% have gender parity. The representation of women in cybersecurity teams was slightly higher in larger organizations, with women making up 20% of the workforce in small organizations, 22% in mid-size organizations, and 23% in large organizations.
Moreover, over half (55%) of women surveyed held managerial or higher positions, including 7% in C-suite roles such as CISO. ISC2 noted that achieving gender parity in cybersecurity teams remains a significant challenge, as the findings underscore the ongoing need for increased diversity and inclusivity in the industry.