CATALYST Issue 3 | Page 8

S Soundbites | Catalyst WORKING HARD OR H A R D LY W O R K I N G ? Since the financial crisis of 2008, the UK has been in a prolonged productivity slump. Recent research by Cisco found that, if all areas of the country achieved their benchmark output level, it would contribute £140bn to annual GDP. Here, we highlight the most and least productive countries, according to the IMF and OECD. Productivity in GBP per person per hour Luxembourg – £51.80 Canada – £19.72 Norway – £39.72 UK – £18.07 Switzerland – £37.89 Japan – £17.21 Denmark – £28.87 South Korea – £10.61 Iceland – £27.63 US – £25.74 Australia – £25.47 Ireland – £25.44 Chile – £5.33 Russia – £4.25 Costa Rica – £4.19 Mexico – £2.73 PERSONALITY TRAITS TO LOOK FOR IN CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS Cybercrime is on the rise, with global ‘revenue’ generated in 2018 exceeding $1.5tn worldwide. For many global organisations, hiring cybersecurity talent is becoming an urgent priority. But which personality traits should you be looking for in cybersecurity staff? Personality assessment specialist Hogan Assessments concludes that the candidates most suited to this role will be: alexandermannsolutions.com 8 1 3 2 4 Modest Content to do the necessar y work in the shadows, a successful cybersecurity professional tends to avoid the spotlight. Altruistic Programming and system work might seem to be a soloist's calling, but keeping colleagues safe is a key element of the job. A desire to help people is a must, and fighting threats requires co-operation and trust. Composed The ability to stay cool in the face of an attack is integral. A cybersecurity professional cannot be cowed or knocked off balance by an urgent or business-critical task. Scientific As you would expect, an ability to understand and analyse data is a core skill. Criminals are increasingly sophisticated in their attacks, requiring technical professionals to combat them.