Many job seekers always present a perfect picture on their resumes. But in any case, how do you handle it when they’re not?
Look back at some of the people you have hired in the past. You may have met Melinda, whose references seemed perfect. Or, a David, whose credentials intuitively made him an ideal candidate.
Unfortunately, they became poor hires for your team shortly after that.
Then you discovered Susan’s references were out-of-date, and John had altered his resume as you attempted to figure out what had gone wrong.
The number of candidates caught outright lying about their credentials is lower, but “embellishment” does occur.
Additionally, as per this Business Insider article, 72% of those surveyed confessed to falsifying information on their resume.
This deceit can result in poor hiring decisions, thus resulting in poor productivity, morale, time, and money.
What’s good, though?
You can avoid all these risks if you conduct a criminal background check before hiring.
What Is a Criminal Background Check For Employees?
A criminal background check involves the search of public records to determine if a potential employee has a history of illegal activity. These details help employers decide whether or not they are interested in hiring this person for their team.
The role an employee is applying for may require employers to conduct criminal background checks. For example, an embezzlement conviction may prevent a bank from hiring an individual.
And so, selecting the right criminal background check company for business success is critical for a human resources manager or a business owner. It ensures you are in good hands since they verify crucial information that helps you choose the right candidate.
Top 5 Benefits Of Running A Criminal Background Check Before Hiring
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Maintain A Safe Workplace
One of the top reasons employers carry out criminal background checks on candidates is to ensure the safety of their workplaces.
According to a survey of employers, 96% said they conduct employment background checks to protect their employees, customers, and other stakeholders.
A background check for employment can reveal criminal convictions such as assaults, rapes, and other crimes that might threaten the well-being of your clients and employees.
All employers need to ensure workplace safety, but this is especially important for those who hire for jobs involving vulnerable populations or that require safety checks.
If an applicant has criminal convictions, a criminal background check could reveal a threat to workplace safety and disqualify them.
Suppose you hire an applicant with a disqualifying conviction without checking their background. There’s a chance that you may get exposed to negligent hiring litigation if the employee causes harm to others in the workplace.
A better approach to dealing with potentially dangerous candidates is to screen them before hiring them. In addition to protecting themselves from negligent hiring liability, employers must also defend themselves from unjustified retention claims.
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Ensure Compliance With Regulatory Requirements
Labor law is complicated, and it can be challenging to ensure you comply with all governing regulations.
With so many companies having international subsidiaries and dealing with compliance issues for several countries, it makes sense how this can be a challenging task.
If you screen candidates beforehand, you can ensure your employees are legal employees with all the legal paperwork and qualifications necessary to work abroad.
For example, in some countries (such as the UK), if you knowingly hire an illegal worker or believe they do not have the right to work in the country, you may get sentenced to up to five years in prison and fined unlimited amounts of money.
Additionally, if Immigration Enforcement publishes your company’s details, it might suffer a reputational hit — they do this to discourage other businesses from hiring illegal immigrants.
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Ensure Accuracy Of Employment Qualifications
Employers need to verify the accuracy of candidates’ information through a thorough pre-employment check.
As mentioned above, 72% of job seekers lie or consider lying in their job applications, especially their resumes. There are several common ones, including:
- Expertise in skills they hardly use
- A longer tenure in an organization
- Holding a degree from an elite institution of higher learning
It is common for candidates to exaggerate these areas during interviews because they believe that they can get away with them.
In most cases, there are no skills tests required. In most cases, applicants assume that hiring managers will not verify their employment history with previous employers.
As a result, there is a greater risk of hiring someone ill-suited for the job without knowing it.
You may not notice these events in some cases but hiring a poor-fit candidate can harm the organization on many levels.
Performing criminal background checks for employment can prevent these mistakes and save employers time, money, and frustration.
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Maintain Your Brand’s Integrity
You hire employees who reflect the face of your organization. Hiring decisions have a direct effect on your reputation and brand.
You can negatively or positively impact the public’s perception of your organization through your employees’ actions, words, and behavior.
Your company can project an excellent reputation when you hire candidates with values aligned with those of your organization by using a reputable criminal background screening company.
Performing comprehensive background checks for your job applicants can ensure their trustworthiness, qualification, experience, and safety and help you avoid problematic behaviors.
You must conduct thorough background checks on your employees to protect your brand against negligence and damage.
The integrity of your company’s reputation relies on thorough employment background checks to guide informed hiring choices.
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Encourage A Culture Of Positivity At Work
Building a strong work culture starts with trust, comfort, and personal bonds.
To promote this, a standard criminal background check is essential to your hiring process.
This check ensures all staff members have passed their background checks and can function fully.
Moreover, to maintain a positive work environment, it is vital to ensure your background screening processes are free of unconscious biases.
Background checks on all employees demonstrate your commitment to selecting the most qualified individuals.
Conclusion
Hiring informed by past transgressions results in solid choices and seamless workforce integration. A criminal background check allows you to prioritize employee safety and happiness, resulting in greater productivity, job satisfaction, and long-term success. It is non-negotiable for organizations genuinely committed to their personnel’s security.
