Schaumburg, IL, USA— A recent survey by ISACA, a prominent global association focused on advancing careers in digital trust, reveals a concerning trend among privacy professionals: 63% report their jobs are significantly more stressful now compared to five years ago. This finding is part of ISACA’s “2025 State of Privacy” report, which draws insights from over 1,600 professionals worldwide and
Key Drivers of Job Stress
The survey identifies several factors contributing to this heightened stress. The rapid advancement of technology tops the list, affecting 63% of respondents, followed closely by compliance challenges at 61% and resource shortages at 59%. Nearly one-third of professionals expressed that their roles are significantly more taxing than in previous years.
Participants pinpoint the leading obstacles confronting privacy programs as:
- An intricate international legal and regulatory environment (38%)
- A scarcity of qualified resources (37%)
- Management of risks associated with emerging technologies (36%)
In terms of funding, 43% of privacy professionals describe their budgets as insufficient, with nearly half anticipating further decreases within the year. Recruitment challenges are also prominent, with 73% indicating that it is particularly difficult to hire privacy experts.
Confidence in Privacy Teams
Despite the prevailing stress and difficulty in managing resources, only 44% of respondents express confidence in their organizations' privacy teams' ability to ensure data privacy and comply with evolving regulations. Additionally, just 33% find it straightforward to understand their privacy obligations, while 23% find this process challenging.
The most common failures reported in privacy practices include insufficient training (47%), data breaches (42%), and neglecting the principle of privacy by design (41%).
Niel Harper, ISACA’s board vice chair and Chief Information Security Officer at Doodle, emphasizes the strain many professionals feel under such circumstances. "In a complex regulatory environment where resources are often limited, it is no surprise that privacy professionals are struggling to maintain compliance and ensure data protection," he states. "Providing adequate support is crucial for fostering a healthy privacy workforce and protecting data integrity."
Positive Trends Amidst Challenges
Amidst these challenges, the research also shines a light on some positive developments. For instance, while the median size of privacy teams has slightly declined—from nine to eight—there are fewer reports of understaffing in privacy teams compared to the previous year. Notably, technical roles saw a reduction in reported understaffing from 54% to 46%, and legal/compliance roles from 44% to 38%.
Encouragingly, 74% of respondents believe that their privacy strategies align with broader organizational goals, and 57% feel that their boards adequately prioritize privacy issues. A strong commitment to compliance is evident, with 82% utilizing specific frameworks or regulations to manage privacy and 68% establishing documented policies and procedures.
Moreover, many respondents do not perceive an increase in privacy breaches year-on-year, with only 29% believing they will face a significant breach in the coming year.
The Importance of Privacy by Design
The survey underscores the importance of the “privacy by design” approach, integrating privacy considerations throughout the development of new applications and services. This strategy differentiates organizations, with 67% of respondents indicating they practice it. These organizations tend to express greater confidence in their privacy teams and report better resource allocation and decreased skill gaps via training.
AI Adoption in Privacy Practices
Additionally, the survey highlights a growing trend in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for privacy-related tasks, with 11% of respondents using AI this year, up from 8% last year. Furthermore, 36% plan to adopt AI for privacy functions in the next year, compared to 28% the previous year. Notably, enterprises that view privacy as both an ethical responsibility and a competitive advantage are more inclined to employ AI for privacy-related purposes, underscoring a proactive approach among those organizations.
Safia Kazi, ISACA Principal in Privacy Professional Practices, remarks, “When privacy aligns with business objectives and is approached as a fundamental responsibility, organizations stand to realize tremendous value.” She urges enterprises to prioritize and enhance their privacy programs by embracing innovative technologies, robust frameworks, and effective training.
This report not only sheds light on the increasing pressures faced by privacy professionals but also offers insights into practices and strategies that can alleviate these challenges while driving the value of privacy within organizations.
