Object First Survey: 84% of IT Pros Feel Uncomfortably Stressed at Work Amid Rising Cybersecurity Threats

Object First, Inc., storage for Veeam users, released new data that highlights growing mental health concerns among IT and cybersecurity professionals due to rising cybersecurity threats. Of the 500 US participants surveyed, 84% report feeling uncomfortably stressed at work due to IT security risks, while 78% fear they will be personally blamed for security incidents. These findings expose a gap in how organizations support their IT staff, highlighting the opportunity to provide mental health resources and less complex security technology to help reduce stress as cyber threats continue to rise.
Additional key findings

• Emotional toll: 47% report feeling pressure from leadership to “fix everything” in the aftermath of a security incident, and nearly one in five (18%) feel “hopeless and overwhelmed” during and after a security incident.
• Turnover risk: 59% have considered or actively begun looking for new jobs due to work stress.
• High-pressure work with insufficient resources: 55% identified heavy workloads and understaffed teams as the leading sources of stress in their roles, followed by concerns about cyberattacks and the pressure to maintain uptime and service availability.
• Insufficient organizational support: 50% feel their companies don’t consistently prioritize employee wellbeing and mental health. Respondents highlighted employee assistance programs, flexible schedules, comprehensive benefits, mental health support, and paid time off as the most valuable resources when available.
• Need for better recovery and backup solutions: 74% said their data recovery tools are too complex to be used without security expertise, a challenge that adds to their workplace stress. Meanwhile, 67% believe faster, higher-performing backup solutions that minimize downtime would boost productivity and confidence in responding to cyberattacks.
• Stronger third-party validation: 67% indicated that using technology independently tested by credible third parties for security and reliability would enhance IT teams’ productivity and confidence in cyberattack recovery.

Object First and Cybermindz, a San Francisco-based nonprofit focused on mental resilience for the IT and cybersecurity community, have released a short video exploring stress and burnout in IT, practical recovery steps, and the role of leadership in mental health. Alongside the video, they offer resources such as tools to identify burnout, how to manage workplace pressure and measure stress, as well as complimentary access to the Cybermindz iRest Protocol-a simple, research-backed 10-step practice that can be completed in 10-20 minutes to help reduce stress, restore focus, and improve sleep.

“The mounting stress on IT and cybersecurity professionals isn’t just an HR issue; it’s a business resilience challenge,” said David Bennett, CEO, Object First. “Our research shows that the pressure to be the last line of cyber defense is taking a serious toll on these professionals’ mental health and job performance. As cyber threats continue to escalate in frequency and sophistication, the risk of compromised productivity and loss of top talent to burnout could leave organizations more vulnerable than ever.”

“Even with the strongest defenses, cybersecurity fails when people burn out,” said Mark Alba, MD, Cybermindz. “Cybermindz and Object First are shining a light on the importance of being open about mental stress in our industry. Leaders play a critical role when they acknowledge the pressure and model healthy recovery behaviors, they send a powerful message that wellbeing isn’t optional, it’s essential to resilience and performance.”