Despite cyber remaining a top priority and being rated the scarcest technology skill in the world, a new report has found that many of the world’s largest western tech hubs such as the US and UK are not backing this up with pay rises for cyber security staff and could therefore be running the risk of making the shortages worse. Two thirds (67%) of cyber professionals did not get a pay increase, which compares poorly to many other tech roles.
The Harvey Nash Tech Salary & Hot Skills Report 2021, based on global research of almost 6,000 technologists , found that although the cyber roles in greatest demand included Ethical Hackers, CISOs, Cyber Security Consultants and Information Security Analysts, those working as a CISO or Security Specialist were ranked just joint 14th amongst technology roles worldwide receiving a pay rise in the last 12 months.
While cyber security has always been an area where there is strong stability in salaries – with security professionals the least likely technology roles to receive a salary decrease – during the last year the Harvey Nash data shows that organisations have chosen to focus on rewarding those roles that are related to releasing value and creating agility for the business. Therefore, the top three roles to experience pay rises were Development Management/Team Leadership (59%), Design/UX/UI (50%), and Quality Assurance (50%).
The Harvey Nash research also found that some cyber security related roles such as CISOs and Security Specialists are among those most likely to be automated in the next 10 years. CISO/Security Specialists ranked fifth in this respect, just behind Testing (1st), Quality Assurance (2nd), Database Administrating (3rd), and Business Intelligence/Analyst (4th).
“It is vital that organisations don’t score an own goal by under-rewarding their cyber teams – and then facing an exodus of talent looking for better remuneration elsewhere,” said Bev White, Chief Executive, Harvey Nash Group. “There is a balance to be achieved, but the signs are that the reward strategies of many businesses have perhaps tipped too far in one direction.”