Page 154 - Cyber Defense eMagazine January 2024

having the right tools, for example, SOC teams can lower the number of false alarms and reduce alert
fatigue, enabling analysts to concentrate more on delivering business value and reducing risk.

SOC staff also want their leaders to offer additional training, mentorship and development (59%) to help
with burnout. If managers allocate time each week for staff training for both personal and professional
development, this promotes a culture of company commitment to work-life balance and mental well-
being. All these factors increase retention and job satisfaction

Act now for future success

The shortage of cybersecurity professionals and SOC analyst burnout require immediate
action. It’s crucial to strengthen your technology stack for real-time response. Additionally, boosting job
happiness through meaningful work, reducing false alarms, and promoting personal development are
necessary to address today’s challenges in the long term. To retain qualified employees and successfully
manage industry challenges, IT leaders must adopt cutting-edge tools and foster a SOC culture that
prioritizes well-being.

About the Author

Kayla Williams is the CISO and VP, governance, risk, and compliance (GRC)
at Devo, a cloud-native logging and security analytics platform with a $2B
valuation.

She is an analytical and results-driven professional with experience in
management of cybersecurity incidents, compliance management, corporate
risks, information security, project and program management, and
organizational controls surrounding many different aspects of business.
Kayla also is accomplished in the development of key methods for
organizations to strengthen productivity, enhance operational performance,
and improve financial and operational controls. Prior to this role, Kayla was
the director of GRC at LogMeIn, a $1b global SaaS company, and the senior risk manager for
Computershare US, a global financial services company, where she was responsible for supporting the
development, implementation, and monitoring of operational, financial, compliance, and IT risk.
Additionally, she worked directly with executive management to identify, assess, and establish mitigation
strategies for any risk that arose from inadequate or failed processes, people, systems, or external
events, while maintaining a balance between risk mitigation and operational efficiency. This enabled
executive management to make informed decisions about the risk posture of the organization and
dedicate resources to key areas to minimize critical and high risk to business operations.

Kayla currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts and Alfreton, Derbyshire, UK.

Kayla can be reached at our company website https://www.devo.com/.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – January 2024 Edition 154
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