Very few employers are willing to take on a new worker without any checks whatsoever. Business owners want to protect their business, and to limit the risk to their customers of hiring a poor worker. Checks might just involve phoning a previous employer to get a reference, but background checking can be much more extensive. When applicants see “background checks required” on a job advert, they are often unsure what this means, and to be fair, the process will vary between employers. However, there are some general rules about what background checking is, and what it is not.
Background Checking IS:
- A way of reducing the risk around taking on a new member of staff. Information from references and an applicant’s background can give an indication of how reliable and trustworthy someone is.
- CV fact-checking – lots of people lie on their CV or exaggerate qualifications, and background screening can help separate the fact from the fiction.
- Finding out about previous performance. Verifying claims about responsibilities and job titles can give an indication about how well someone has performed in previous jobs. Speaking to the employer rather than relying on written references may give an even better indication.
Background Checking IS NOT:
- A way to discriminate against applicants. Background screening should be applied evenly and fairly rather than targeting people based on their ethnic group, sex, or any other characteristic. Any screening policy should be fair and proportionate to the responsibilities of the job. It would, for example, be disproportionate and unfair to ask a cleaner to have a full credit report as this is irrelevant to their job.
- Fool proof. Although background screening can give lots of information about someone’s character and background, it doesn’t eliminate all of the risk in getting it wrong.
- An automatic way of weeding people out. In the past, many employers asked about someone’s criminal record, and automatically rejected any applicant with convictions. Many parts of the world have legislation which prevents this sort of automatic decision-making, so companies which operate in several countries should take this into account.
- Underhand and sneaky. A good employer will be very clear about what elements they are looking for in their background checking, and why their process is important. Written consent from employees should be obtained before the checking is started, and results of the checks should be shared with the applicant. Employers must base their recruitment decisions on facts rather than gut feelings or impressions. Failing to properly document checking processes and results could lead to expensive accusations of discrimination.
Background checking can be highly effective in minimising recruitment risk. But it’s essential that employers understand their legal obligations and are consistent and fair in their approach. Having a written set of guidelines and processes online will give applicants the information that they need about what will be looked at. As this can all be a bit of a legal minefield, many employers choose to outsource their background checking to an expert third party organisation instead.
