Background screening serves several fundamental objectives and should play an essential role in your human resources department’s hiring process. Therefore, it helps to ensure that you bring on skilled, experienced workers, and it can also support many of your core risk management directives.
There are certain things to know about performing background checks on job applicants.
Background Screening Basics
What is background screening, and what does it entail? When employers check backgrounds, they aim to affirm that a job candidate is the proper person for the position. Checks usually include these key elements such as criminal records and work authorizations. Moreover, they also check employment history and references while also looking at education and licensing credentials. It also checks consumer credit report and score.
A background check may include additional components depending on the scope of an employee’s responsibilities. For example, employers should review driving records if the personnel is operating a company-owned vehicle or their own vehicle during their regular job duties. This measure of due diligence enables employers to assess whether an applicant has a formidable track record of safe driving and will be able to drive safely while working on the company’s behalf.
Why HR Needs Background Screening
Running background checks gives human resources departments a way to affirm that applicants have the skills and experiences they represent in their applications. Without this precaution, new hires might be unable to fulfill essential duties in their job roles.
Verifying job candidates’ backgrounds facilitates consistency and fairness in the hiring process. When companies continually follow the same protocols for vetting each candidate, they may be less likely to contend with allegations concerning inequitable or discriminatory hiring practices.
How Background Screening Protects and Strengthens Workforces
In specific working environments, insufficient training or experience could present serious safety risks for a company’s workforce or customers. Suppose employment candidates do not have a working knowledge of various safety standards. In that case, they may be more prone to mistakes on the job that can jeopardize their safety or create unsafe conditions that could be hazardous for coworkers or customers.
One of the most significant reasons HR needs background screening is that it can help them identify whether a prospective team member will be a good fit. In particular, HR departments want to gauge whether people can meet vital expectations about workplace conduct. Previous allegations of harassment, for example, are a red flag that an applicant might be a risk to other workforce members. Likewise, issues involving criminal theft or other forms of dishonesty could indicate that an individual should not have access to a business’s assets or clients’ accounts.
Taking practical measures to screen candidates allows your hiring managers to make well-informed decisions. Also, background screening offers substantive insights into an individual’s ability to perform well in a job role, contribute to a team’s collective efforts, and help sustain a safe working environment.
Knowing how stringent screening processes can safeguard companies against liability is vital. Failing to perform background checks could create situations that result in allegations of negligent hiring.
About The Hilb Group
Deciding what coverage you need and what limits and deductibles make the most sense can be tricky. Founded in 2009, the Hilb Group has been helping clients to make sense of their options and make the smartest choices for their circumstances. Whether you need Warehouse Insurance or any other type of business or personal coverage, we encourage you to contact our friendly, experienced, and capable team today. Call us at (800) 776-3078 for a consultation.