Employers face various human resource challenges. Recruiting the right candidate for the right job is one of the most critical challenges, and this task has become more difficult with a growing global economy and a very mobile workforce. Employers can no longer rely solely on candidate interviews to make proper hiring decisions. Pre-employment screening is a process that gives access to employers to verify information regarding education, job history, and performance. Moreover, the pre-employment screening process reveals important information about a job applicant’s prior behavior which can help an employer assess potential risks posed by an applicant. Prior behavior can include substance abuse, credit history, driving records, criminal convictions, and civil litigation.
Why conduct Pre Employment Screening?
Employers who use pre-employment screening as a part of their recruiting process realize several important benefits. One of the basic advantages is a general improvement inside the nature of candidates which eventually prompts better workers, expands efficiency, quality, and lower employee turnover. Declaring to all candidates the aim to conduct background checks will discourage some job applicants from applying. At a minimum, a candidate will be more likely to represent themselves honestly.
Factually 60% of all resumes contain inaccuracies in employment, job performance, and educational achievement. Altogether, the declaration will energize some high-risk applicants with criminal backgrounds to eliminate themselves, which may save time and money in the recruiting process. Conversely, the declaration does not discourage good qualified job applicants who know their background check will not reveal significant problems.
What is the main purpose of Pre Employment Screening?
Pre-employment screening is a process employers use to determine whether an applicant is suited for a particular job. I’m sure you must be curious about what is the main purpose of pre employment screening. The main purpose of pre-employment screening is to identify potential risks that could negatively impact the employer, such as theft, violence, or substance abuse. By conducting a thorough background check, employers can minimize these risks and ensure a safe and productive workplace.
You Won’t Believe the Benefits of Background Checks.
Pre-employment screening programs, commonly known as background checks, are an essential part of the hiring process for many companies. A Pre-employment screening program can provide employers with valuable information about a job candidate’s past, including criminal history, employment history, and education.
Pre-employment screening checks can help employers avoid hiring candidates who may be unsuitable for the position or pose a risk to the company. For example, a candidate with a history of violence or theft may not be suited for a position that involves handling money or working with customers. Employers may also use background checks to verify the accuracy of a job candidate’s resume or application.
Pre-employment screening checks can be an important tool for protecting your company’s assets and reputation. By taking the time to conduct a thorough background check on job candidates, you can help ensure that you are hiring the best possible employees for your business.
A third-party background screening provider can help you plan a program specifically customized to your company requirements. Few of the greatest benefits you will experience when implementing fully comprehensive solutions are:
Improved Quality of Hire
If a candidate distorts their business history, education, certification, criminal history or employment eligibility, not only could it result in a poor hire, it could also potentially bring about budgetary, legitimate and regulatory risks for the hiring company. A background screening program can help uncover false or misrepresented information early on and prevent future risks and elevating hiring costs.
Decrease Negligent Hiring Risks
Negligent hiring claims may arise, for instance, when a worker cause’s harm to a co-worker or third-party within the scope of their job and the victim claims that the worker had a record of or inclination for causing this sort of harm that the employer should have discovered if it had conducted its due diligence. If this allegation is claimed, then the employer may be liable for negligent hiring damages.
A careless hiring lawsuit can bring about legal expenses, settlements, and reputation harm. According to a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the average settlement of a negligent hiring suit is close to $1 million, although some cases have resulted in settlements in millions of dollars.
Enhanced Regulatory Compliance
Compliance is one of the most important aspects of pre-employment background screening in the U.S. regardless of how good your background screening partner is, if they don’t comply with all the laws and regulations you, as an employer, might be in serious trouble.
Employers must know that:
- There is a law in the U.S. that enables background screening records to be preserved and referred to for a maximum duration of 7 years and 10 years in case of bankruptcies. Once this period is finished, the record will not be legitimate and any adverse action made dependent on such records will be illicit as defined in the Statute of Limitations.
- In California, employers cannot demand criminal record checks of the candidate before an employment proposition is made except if you are from an industry that makes contact with the growing population.
- Several cases have been filed against employers for alleged non-compliance in background screening. The most common non-compliance example includes an employer’s failure to provide proper disclosure, authorization and follow the adverse process mandatory under the FCRA guidelines. Apart from the FCRA, various other compliance norms in the U.S. need to be followed by background check agencies. These include multiple compliances, FTC, State, and City Ban-the-Box laws and the newly updated EEOC guidelines.
Encourage a Drug-Free Workplace
Alcohol and drug abuse can create a significant safety threat in the workplace and can result in minimizing employee productivity. Implementing a clear and consistent drug testing policy within the workplace deters employees from abusing alcohol, drugs, and helps companies hire responsible job applicants. Make sure you screen applicants with the right consumer reporting agency.
Advance Workplace Safety
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in association with the American Management Association, evaluates that 30 percent of all business failures are a result of employee theft and that three-quarters of all employee’s steal at least once. An FBI study featured that about 355,000 organizations will encounter a workplace violence episode in any given year. Employers can conduct background screening to increase the quality of hire that better protects property and employees against damaging workplace accidents, violence and thefts.
Read full article here: Benefits of Pre-Employment Background Screening
However, most companies believe a basic social media check is enough, but in reality, it is not.
To upgrade the quality of hiring, organizations must conduct an end to end background check on candidates.
Through this process, a complete background history, including education, previous employment, court records, etc., can be validated.
Therefore, a proficient background verification company can help you design an employee screening program specially tailored to your company’s needs.
In many cases, the companies are directly held accountable for their employees’ actions.
They must make sure their employees do not have any previous criminal records or unacceptable habits.
Information Direct is a full-service professional employment screening company, and offers background screening services and pre-employment background check services.
Visit us to know more.
Netrika is India's most reliable background verification company, which describes the importance of background checks at pre-employment screening, such as identity verification, credit reports, criminal records, and online activities.
