“What Your Employees Don’t Say Can Hurt You.”
I’ve spent decades investigating workplace violence — thousands of cases, threats, and incidents that ended in tragedy.
And there’s one sentence I hear in almost every single case: “I knew something was wrong… I just didn’t say anything.”
Employees hesitate to report because:
- “He’s my friend.”
- “I don’t want her fired.”
- “What if I’m wrong?”
- “I don’t want him coming after me.”
- “It wasn’t my place.”
But here’s the harsh truth:
After the incident, you can’t change anything.
Before the incident, you can change everything.
A Case I Will Never Forget
A client once received an anonymous survey response from an employee threatening to hunt down and kill management, even describing placing an explosive ordnance device.
That phrase stopped me immediately: “explosive ordnance device.”
That’s military language.
We traced the location. Identified an employee with military EOD experience. Law enforcement interviewed him.
He denied it — but officers believed he was the one.
Shortly after that conversation, he died by suicide.
And then came the part that still sticks with me…
When I asked his manager if he had noticed anything concerning, he replied: “Well… now that you bring it up…”
He described the employee rocking back and forth in the locker room, then suddenly jumping up and screaming: “You don’t want to push me! Get the F away from me! You don’t want to push my buttons!”
He didn’t report it. He didn’t tell HR. He didn’t tell leadership.
He also admitted he had heard rumors that the employee was addicted to crystal meth.
Again, he didn’t report it.
His exact words: “It was just a rumor.”
That’s the mindset we must change.
It is not an employee’s job to determine whether a threat is real.
It is their job to report it, so trained professionals can determine the truth.
“Routine Kills.”
In law enforcement, we say: “Routine kills.”
When you see the same thing over and over, and nothing bad happens, you become lax.
There is a story about a police officer who responded to the same faulty alarm dozens of times. At first, he approached tactically.
By the 30th time?
He walked up with his hands in his pockets and pressed his face against the window. He turned around… and a suspect with a gun was behind him.
Routine made him vulnerable.
It does the same thing in corporate America.
We ignore repeated behaviors. We minimize comments because “nothing happened last time.” We normalize red flags.
And that is exactly how incidents happen.
The Hard Truth Every Company Must Accept
I tell every organization this:
Every company that had an active shooter incident… had NEVER had an active shooter incident before the day it happened.
They were just like you. Until they weren’t.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Every year in Corporate America:
- 2 million+ workplace violence incidents
- 400+ workplace violence deaths
Most are preventable. But every single number represents a life.
Reporting Saves Lives
Do you have a policy requiring employees to report threatening behavior?
Do you train them on what to report and how to report it?
When employees report, you gain:
- Time
- Visibility
- The ability to intervene
- A chance to stop something before it starts
Training Employees How to Report … Not Just What to Report
One of the biggest gaps I see in workplace violence prevention programs is this:
Organizations train employees on what to report… but never train them on how to report it.
Awareness is only half the battle.
Accessibility is the other half.
Employees need clear, simple, judgment-free pathways to share concerns , and those pathways must match the culture and communication style of your workforce. Some companies use:
- Anonymous reporting tip lines
- Dedicated reporting emails
- QR codes posted around the building
- Mobile apps or portals for secure reporting
- Text-back systems, where an employee can send a message and the customer or HR/security can review it without exposing the reporter
- Supervisory or HR reporting channels with confidentiality protections
Give employees the capability to report concerns in a way that best fits the population and work environment.
If your workforce is younger and mobile-driven, texting or QR codes may work. If your workforce values anonymity due to cultural or fear-based barriers, anonymous tip lines may be essential. If you have multiple shifts, high turnover, or language barriers, you may need several options.
When employees understand what to report and how to report it safely, confidentially, and without fear of retaliation, reporting rates go up, early interventions increase, and tragedies are prevented.
Training isn’t just about information. It’s about empowerment.
It doesn’t matter which system you choose.
What matters is this: Give employees the capability to report concerns in a way that best fits the population and work environment. When they stay silent? You’re relying on luck. And luck is not a workplace violence prevention strategy.
Author: Mike Peterson
Mike Peterson is the Co-Founder and Chief Security Officer of The Orsus Group, bringing nearly three decades of experience in global investigations, compliance, and workplace risk mitigation. He specializes in helping organizations strengthen hiring practices, uncover potential threats, and build safer, more resilient workplaces.