How to attract and retain cyber pros to protect your business

Rising risk and a talent that is in high demand mean companies must try harder than ever to keep quality people, writes Louisa Vogelenzang.

Is the prospect of your organisation falling victim to a cyber attack or data breach a source of growing disquiet? If you answered in the affirmative, you’re far from alone.

Across the country, boards and executive teams have recognised the existential risk to operations and profitability that a serious incident can represent.

And they’re doing something about it: funnelling funds into technologies and talents to strengthen their defences and ability to respond and remediate, at speed.

More than a third of Australian businesses anticipate an increase in cyber security and scam risks this year, and 30 per cent are increasing their investment against cyber crime, according to NAB’s Business Pulse from March 2025.

Against that backdrop, cyber security professionals are likely to remain in high demand, as they have been for years, at home and around the globe.

The Australian Computer Society predicts local demand for cyber security skills will double by 2030, as businesses ramp up their activities and investments in this space.

Here are some tips to help your organisation hire and retain the staff you need to help keep your systems and data safe this year.

Provide a competitive package

Money isn’t everything, as the old saying goes, but it certainly can make a difference to the calibre of candidates you attract and their willingness to stay with your organisation long term. Hence, while paying top of the market may not be essential, offering a competitive remuneration package and one that includes the benefits people genuinely value in today’s times – think flexible hours, unlimited time off and work-from-home opportunities – most definitely is.

Partner with education providers

In a tight labour market, the resources you require may have to be trained and nurtured, rather than recruited ready to hit the ground running. Partnering with local universities, by participating in their work experience and internship programs, allows you to establish a pipeline of up-and-coming cyber superstars and do your bit to help develop the local talent pool, too.

Provide opportunities for existing employees

Rather than scouring the market for your next cyber hire, it can pay to look closer to home. Chances are, there are talented individuals already working for your organisation who’d be ready, willing and able to get to grips with the intricacies of penetration testing, network monitoring and incident response. High performers from your ICT support team, for example, may see a sideways move into cyber as an excellent career opportunity. Enabling them to make the switch is a great way to expand your line-up.

Tap your alumni network

Should you decide to cast the net further afield, your organisation’s alumni network can be a rich source of referrals. Harnessing the power of digital technology makes it simple to reach out to former ICT employees who may know someone who’s perfect for your vacant role.

Automated HR software can be used to record departing employees’ skill sets in an easily searchable form, obtain their permission to contact them before they finish up, and then share regular talent shout-outs for cyber roles that may interest them or their contacts.

Foster a supportive culture

Cyber security is a tough profession. Many practitioners experience a sense of being always “on”, ready to spring into action, should that latest message or alert presage the commencement of an incident or attack. Unsurprisingly, burnout is far from uncommon.

That’s why employers that want to retain top talents need to take steps to help mitigate stress. Fostering a supportive culture, one that genuinely encourages workers to prioritise family and health, and investing in wellness programs will make staying on your team a sustainable proposition, long term.

The “tone from the top” is critical too: having the leadership team regularly acknowledge the vital contribution cyber professionals make to business continuity and success can make a tangible difference to morale and retention.

Make professional learning and development a priority

Finally, ambitious, high-energy individuals are rarely content to sit still for long. If they find themselves working for an organisation that doesn’t offer them an abundance of opportunities to stretch and grow, they’re unlikely to stay for long either. That’s why providing regular training and professional development is essential. Doing so will benefit your business as well as your team. The cyber threat landscape continues to evolve at dizzying speed, and, without current skills and knowledge, your people may struggle to respond effectively in the event of an attack.

Louisa Vogelenzang is the head of cyber security (APJ) at Dayforce.