As you know all too well, defense and security contractors struggle to retain high quality professionals due to the isolating and traumatic nature of their work. Now, we’re adding in controversial vaccine mandates, and competing with the commercial sector where employees are offered remote work, high salaries, and ridiculous sign-on bonuses.
Unfortunately, it’s causing a mass exodus to big tech and leaving the stability of your operations questionable.
Lauren Rich is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker that works strictly with combat veterans, many who need assistance for classified trauma, and we previously discussed what employees can do to seek out mental health treatment. She joined ClearanceJobs for a conversation about the other side of the coin, what can employers do for the employee? And specifically, what can they do to keep that employee from leaving the industry?
One way defense contractors can combat a mass exodus of talent? Invest in the employee’s mental health.
We keep hearing about a mass exodus of employees from the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community. Rich notes that people are should be the biggest investment because they are contractors’ biggest value added to the national security space.
If employees don’t feel needed, it leads to low morale and eventually burnout. Rich has counseled many combat veterans on burnout – and has found that it is preventable.
You heard on today’s episode how mental health treatment can help organizations in the DoD / IC implement a tailored program which increases employee resilience and positively impacts a company’s overall operational performance.
But burnout isn’t just detrimental to employee well-being and productivity. When it comes to data security, it can also increase the risk of an insider threat – whether accidental, negligent or malicious.
Mitigating insider threats and retaining your highly sought employee’s talent should be top priority when talent is nowhere to be found.
If you are concerned that your employees may be a soft target, download Rich’s free Red Team Assessment. This quick and simple checklist will give you a quick gauge on your company’s current organizational health.
