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The 7 Most Common GDPR Mistakes – And How to Avoid Them
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3 Minute Read
Return to blog
3 Minute Read

Most businesses aren’t trying to break the law. They just don’t realise they already are.

GDPR compliance is often seen as “something the legal team deals with,” but in reality, every employee plays a role – and simple, avoidable mistakes can lead to serious penalties.

Here are 7 of the most common GDPR missteps – and how to make sure your team avoids them.

  1. Assuming GDPR Only Applies to Customer Data

If you think GDPR is just about customer emails or marketing lists? It also covers:

  • Employee records
  • Job applicant data
  • Supplier or contractor information
  • IP addresses and device data

Fix: Ensure staff know that any personal data falls under the law – not just external contacts.

  1. Failing to Train Staff

One of the most common (and costly) oversights. If your staff don’t know the rules, they can’t follow them – and ignorance is no defence under the law.

Fix: Provide clear, legally backed, and documented GDPR training. Our 30-minute Data Protection course is defensible in a tribunal and CPD accredited.

  1. Collecting More Data Than You Need

You must only collect what’s strictly necessary for your purpose. Collecting “just in case” data? That’s a violation.

Fix: Audit your data collection practices and implement policies for data minimisation.

  1. Not Knowing Your Lawful Basis for Processing

You must have – and document – a legal basis for using personal data. If you can’t explain why you have it, you shouldn’t have it.

Fix: Train staff on lawful bases like consent, contract, legal obligation, and legitimate interest.

  1. Ignoring or Mishandling Subject Access Requests (SARs)

GDPR gives individuals rights over their data. Ignoring a SAR, delaying your response, or providing incomplete data can result in ICO enforcement.

Fix: Make sure staff understand how to recognise and properly respond to SARs.

  1. Not Reporting Breaches Within 72 Hours

The ICO requires serious breaches to be reported within 72 hours. If your team doesn’t know what a breach looks like – or who to tell – you’re out of time before you’ve even started.

Fix: Train employees on breach identification, escalation, and response protocols.

Don’t Let Mistakes Cost You Millions

Most GDPR issues are preventable. The right training makes compliance easy, protects your business, and gives your team the confidence to do things right.

Start protecting your business with our online GDPR training, book a short free demo!

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