In today’s digital world where information can be easily falsified, the need for comprehensive pre-employment background checks has become increasingly vital. Deep background screening goes beyond the traditional methods of verifying employment history and educational qualifications. It involves a thorough investigation of an individual’s background, financial history, criminal record, and even online presence.
Hiring managers and HR professionals must exercise due diligence as they are vital gatekeepers to any organisation and leverage deeper pre-employment background screening to mitigate risks, make informed hiring decisions, and protect the company’s reputation.
1) Enhanced risk mitigation
While standard screening methods may be sufficient most of the time, deeper pre-employment background screening enables businesses to identify potential risks that standard screening fails to detect, due to limitations or gaps in processes, and mitigate them effectively. By uncovering any red flags in an individual’s background, businesses can make informed decisions that minimise the likelihood of fraud, misconduct, or other detrimental activities.
Businesses can do so by using deeper background screening methods and techniques to gather and analyse more in-depth information pertaining to the potential hire, such as a digital footprint analysis, conducting criminal background checks, and verifying financial stability.
2) Improve quality of hires
Conducting thorough background checks is also a proven method of improving the quality of hires. Where standard levels of background checks through social media may reveal some amount of information about the candidate, a deep dive may uncover discrepancies about a candidate’s suitability for the role. This might be a far cry from the rosy picture painted within the candidate’s curriculum vitae, and these discrepancies could range from an inflated tenure within previous companies, to outright impersonation of character references.
Using deeper pre-employment background screening, HR professionals can ensure that candidates have a clean record and are aligned with the company’s values. This allows hiring managers to make better-informed choices and reduce turnover rates, thus creating a more productive and trustworthy workforce.
3) Protection of company reputation
A comprehensive background screening process helps companies safeguard their reputation. By identifying any potentially problematic hires or politically exposed persons, businesses can avoid scandals or controversies that could tarnish their image in the long run.
To do so will require significantly more resources, as sensitive hires require high-quality research with specialised expertise. However, the benefits far outweigh the reputational costs if a sensitive hire goes south.
Best practices for effective screening
With new technologies and new ways to commit fraud or incorporate fraudulent entries into one’s curriculum vitae, HR practitioners may find themselves on the backfoot. Here are three simple steps to build a robust pre-employment screening process.
The first step is choosing the right screening provider. By choosing reputable screening companies, HR leaders can be assured that best practices are aligned with industry standards. Reputable screening providers canalso provide customisable screening to suit specific needs.
The second step is to integrate screening into the hiring process. This involves creating a standardised screening procedure that aligns with the overall hiring workflow and ensures that all candidates undergo the same thorough checks.
The third step is to consistently re-screen existing employees. Annual declarations and self-reporting may be insufficient as personal circumstances evolve, thus necessitating re-screening of existing employees to ensure compliance. While this is not part of pre-employment background screening, communicating that this is a company policy with potential employees shows openness and may also weed out potential bad hires.
Hiring in the current business landscape
While standard screening processes may be enough for companies most of the time, deeper pre-employment background screening plays a pivotal role as it offers a greater peace of mind for organisations. By understanding the evolution, methods, and considerations associated with deeper pre-employment background screening, hiring managers can make informed decisions and mitigate potential risks effectively. As technology continues to advance and the business landscape evolves, the importance of comprehensive background screening will only continue to grow.
Contact us today to learn more about how our pre-employment background screening can improve your hiring process and help you get ahead in this uncertain hiring landscape.
