Why employee background check should be a key part of your recruitment process?

A background check is increasingly being incorporated into hiring decisions by organisations. Originally anyone with a criminal record could be easily rejected. However, recently new legislation and policy changes have forced criminal background checks to become more nuanced. One motivation for allowing more individuals with criminal records to work is to decrease unemployment and encourage acceptance.

We have noticed a surge in employee pre employment screening. Research data on employee background search suggests that the most common fraud job seekers engage is extensive misrepresentation of academic and work credentials listed on their cv. Organisations who fails to perform a thorough employee pre employment screening on a prospective employee may be exposed to the charges of sloppy hiring or employment discrimination.

In UK employee background checks are getting common. Pre employment screening of prospective or current employee is critical. This is to ensure you have a 360-degree view of who you are hiring. Employees (people) are the most important asset to any business. A dishonest employee can be a nightmare and can cause reputational damage to the business. They can also cause legal problems which may result in caution or penalties. A background check should be key part of your hiring process. Employee pre employment screening will protect you, your business and your customers from corrupt parties and fraud. Employee vetting of prospective employees will make the recruitment process longer. However, you will always have peace of mind and no vulnerable to fraud.

Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) has published detailed guidance on what level of a background check is required and when. A recent SHRM article by Bliss & Thornton (2012) notes that ''increased use of employee pre employment screening by employers to check job applicants stems from the growth of claims alleging that an employer was negligent in hiring or retaining an employee who subsequently engaged in workplace violence or some other act that resulted in harm to another employee or office property”.

In response to increased risk for negligent hiring, many employers conduct a background check as a matter of course and some go beyond the traditional reference checking. Hanson (2006) in Workforce Management article recommends that employers “make a systematic effort to gain relevant information about the job applicant, verify identity documents, and follow up on missing information or gaps in employment” to demonstrate that every reasonable care was taken in the recruitment process.

Failure to conduct pre-employment screening and a background check can result in serious liability for employers. A background check can dramatically improve the performance and readiness for the job of everybody who takes a new role including internal recruits. Pre-employment screening helps you build, sustain, and perpetuate high preface teams and risk adverse organisations.

Complyagte offers the best background check service in the UK. We can help you vet as little as one or many candidates. Our screening services will reduce this part of your recruitment process by more than 70%.

If you have any questions about a background check you can email [email protected] or call 0121 655 0311 or request a DEMO.