How Do I Get Employees to Report Security Incidents?
Employees often fail to report incidents because they are unsure what counts, worried they will be blamed or unclear where to send the report. That is a security awareness problem as much as a process problem.
The aim is to make reporting feel safe, simple and expected before an incident happens.
To get employees to report security incidents, create one clear reporting route, explain what should be reported, remove blame, thank early reporters, repeat the route often and show how reports lead to action.
Reporting improvements to make
- Define what counts as reportable: Give examples: phishing, mis-sent data, lost devices, suspicious logins and accidental sharing.
- Create one obvious route: Use one mailbox, form, channel or process for security concerns.
- Use no-blame language: Tell employees that early reporting is valued, even when mistakes happen.
- Repeat the route often: Include it in onboarding, reminders, policies and incident follow-ups.
- Make reporting quick: Ask for simple details: what happened, when, system involved and screenshot if safe.
In this guide
How Do I Get Employees to Report Security Incidents?
Use this as a practical founder checklist. Each section turns the question into a behaviour, record, owner or action your team can actually use.
1. Define what counts as reportable
People may not report because they think the issue is too small.
What to do: Give examples: phishing, mis-sent data, lost devices, suspicious logins and accidental sharing.
2. Create one obvious route
Too many routes create hesitation.
What to do: Use one mailbox, form, channel or process for security concerns.
3. Use no-blame language
Fear of punishment delays reporting.
What to do: Tell employees that early reporting is valued, even when mistakes happen.
4. Repeat the route often
A reporting route mentioned once will be forgotten.
What to do: Include it in onboarding, reminders, policies and incident follow-ups.
5. Make reporting quick
If reporting takes too much effort, people will avoid it.
What to do: Ask for simple details: what happened, when, system involved and screenshot if safe.
6. Thank people who report
Positive reinforcement builds reporting culture.
What to do: Acknowledge reports without shaming or overreacting.
7. Show what happens next
People report more when they know their report is useful.
What to do: Explain the next steps after a report is received.
8. Train managers to respond well
A poor manager response can kill reporting culture.
What to do: Give managers guidance on how to handle security concerns calmly.
9. Use examples from near misses
Examples help people recognise future incidents.
What to do: Share anonymised lessons from phishing attempts or mistakes.
10. Track reporting signals
Reporting volume and quality show whether awareness is landing.
What to do: Review trends without turning metrics into blame.
How to Turn This Into Evidence
Security awareness becomes easier to prove when every topic has an owner, a simple action, a review date and a record of what was communicated.
| Awareness Area | Action to Take | Evidence to Keep |
|---|---|---|
| Define what counts as reportable | Give examples: phishing, mis-sent data, lost devices, suspicious logins and accidental sharing. | Owner, date, reminder/training record and supporting evidence |
| Create one obvious route | Use one mailbox, form, channel or process for security concerns. | Owner, date, reminder/training record and supporting evidence |
| Use no-blame language | Tell employees that early reporting is valued, even when mistakes happen. | Owner, date, reminder/training record and supporting evidence |
| Repeat the route often | Include it in onboarding, reminders, policies and incident follow-ups. | Owner, date, reminder/training record and supporting evidence |
| Make reporting quick | Ask for simple details: what happened, when, system involved and screenshot if safe. | Owner, date, reminder/training record and supporting evidence |
| Thank people who report | Acknowledge reports without shaming or overreacting. | Owner, date, reminder/training record and supporting evidence |
Which Next Step Fits?
If you need clarity
Use the quiz to identify visible security gaps across awareness, access, vendors, risk and evidence.
Take the quiz →If you need awareness structure
Use the toolkit to turn awareness into onboarding, reminders, scenarios, records and repeatable team behaviours.
View the awareness toolkit →If you need judgement
Book a consultation if awareness is connected to audit readiness, customer pressure or unclear security ownership.
Book a consultation →Security awareness next step
Turn security awareness into behaviour your team can repeat.
Use practical prompts, onboarding, phishing guidance, evidence records and reminders so awareness becomes part of how your startup works.
Get the Security Awareness ToolkitFind the gaps first
Not sure where awareness fits into your security gaps?
Use the security quiz to identify visible gaps across awareness, access, vendors, risk and evidence before customer or audit pressure makes them harder to fix.
Take the security quiz to identify gapsFrequently Asked Questions
Why do employees fail to report incidents?
They may fear blame, not know what counts or not know where to report.
How can founders improve reporting?
Create one clear route, repeat it, remove blame and thank early reporting.
What CTA fits this page?
The Security Awareness Toolkit fits because reporting behaviour needs reminders, examples and onboarding.