The topic of mental health in the security profession has been pushed aside for decades, but with the emergence of open-minded and forward-thinking younger generations, this crucial topic is increasingly finding its place in the spotlight. Not only is it important to take care of others to build a positive, empathic culture, but it also can decrease turnover and reduce costs to the business, having a positive effect on how assets are protected.

John Rodriguez is an expert on this topic and brings 41+ years of pure corporate security experience working for major corporations including General Motors, Kimberly-Clark, Levi Strauss & Co., and Cardinal Health. He is the founder of Empathic Security Cultures, LLC, based in Austin, Texas. Rodriguez is a security generalist with a passion for security culture development, coaching, and mental health for a psychologically safe workplace and mitigating hostile environment risks. 

Key topics of Rodriguez’s discussion with host Fred Burton include:

• Insights on how the mental health needs of security practitioners (and employees as a whole) have evolved since the pandemic
• Why connecting with people and building a culture of empathy is strongly tied to turnover and the success of a business.
• Advice for teams on building a successful security culture within an organization.