Encouraging Incident Reporting
Encouraging Incident Reporting
By Steve Tomsic - Founder & Chief Customer Success Wizard, Field/io
Security guards are your front line. They witness issues before anyone else—unauthorized access, suspicious behavior, property damage, policy violations. But too often, those observations go unreported.
When incidents aren’t reported, risks go unchecked. Liability increases. Trends go unnoticed. And clients lose confidence.
Here’s how to motivate your guards to consistently and confidently report what they see.
1. Make It Easy
If reporting is time-consuming or clunky, it won’t happen. Give guards mobile-friendly tools that leverages AI to quickly report incidents, capture photos, add voice notes, or short summaries in the moment.
✅ Speed and simplicity increase compliance.
2. Remove the Fear of Blame
Guards may hesitate if they think they’ll be judged or reprimanded. Make it clear that reporting—even if it turns out minor—is always the right call.
🔄 Reframe reporting as proactive, not problematic.
3. Recognize and Reward Good Reporting
Highlight and thank guards who file useful, timely reports. A quick shoutout or small reward builds pride and sets a standard.
🏆 Recognition reinforces the behavior you want repeated.
4. Train with Real-World Examples
Help guards understand what should be reported with clear examples. Show how reports have prevented escalation—or how silence created risk.
🎓 Clarity builds confidence.
5. Close the Loop
When a report leads to action, tell the guard. “Thanks to your report, we…” creates a sense of ownership and reinforces their impact.
📣 Guards are more likely to report when they know it matters.
6. Lead by Example
If supervisors don’t take reporting seriously, guards won’t either. Encourage a top-down culture where field observations are valued and acted on.
🧭 Culture starts at the top.
Final Thought
Incident reports aren’t just paperwork—they’re protection. For your team. Your clients. Your reputation. When guards are equipped with the best tools, encouraged, and acknowledged, reporting becomes second nature—and your operation becomes stronger for it.