Employee Screening and How to Screen Employees

Every so often, headlines report the story of employees carrying out duties they were not qualified for, or perpetrating illegal activities unbeknownst to their company when they had a criminal record in the first place, highlighting the fact that their employer had failed to screen them before hiring them. For the business involved, the legal and financial consequences of such an oversight can be disastrous, and the damage to their reputation irreparable.
 

Employee Checks

Yet, screening candidates is very straightforward. Services such as ConsumerCheck.com provide reports for employee screening checks which access credit files to help with identity checking and financial background checks. When the stakes are so high, there is no reason not to do it. However, although it is a perfectly legitimate process while recruiting, you must do so with the knowledge and consent of the potential employee and they must expressly confirm their agreement by signing a full consent form, a data protection statement and a declaration stating that they have been truthful in their job application.
 

The risks of not screening

It goes without saying that no company wants to have criminals or dishonest employees working for them, but, for some industries, thorough background checks can be vital or even a legal requirement. You wouldn't want Dracula to be in charge of a blood bank, and likewise, background and credit checks will be more useful if tailored to take into account the nature of the position and of the industry concerned.

Anybody applying for a job in the financial services needs to be screened thoroughly for example, not only in terms of criminal offences but also their personal financial history. Have they ever been bankrupt? Defaulted on payments? An inability to manage their own finances could lead them to stealing and embezzlement to cover their debts.

The security industry is another area where in-depth screening is essential. Staff may have access to restricted areas, trade secrets and confidential information, valuable items, key personnel, etc? In addition they will, in certain cases, also be in possession of weapons to perform their jobs.

With the ever-increasing reach of cyber-crime, any candidate having access to data banks, servers, and the IT infrastructure of a company should also be given a clean 'bill of health'. The government may be considering hiring professional hackers on the basis that they can protect them from criminals better than anyone else, but not every company will be comfortable with hiring a fox to keep their chicken coop safe from other foxes! 

Hiring social workers or anybody who will come into contact with children or vulnerable adults is a particularly sensitive area. Companies need to ensure that their staff has an enhanced DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service) in addition to an immaculate background.

Having said that, although a candidate's background may well check out, it doesn't necessarily mean that you are safe. As unbelievable as it may sound, you may be unlucky enough to be in the presence of identity fraud. This is when screening and a credit search will also be invaluable, as they will perform crucial ID checks through dates of birth and other information such as employment history, giving you the opportunity to spot any discrepancy or suspicious gaps.

They will also confirm that individuals possess the qualifications which they say they do, which is obviously desirable for any position, but becomes imperative for medical personnel, financial advisors, legal staff and other professions which carry a high risk of legal action when there is malpractice.

Performing a background and credit check is simple, inexpensive, and will protect your company from criminals who could harm your business so don't give it a second thought.

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