Every business, whether large or small, can benefit from consistent and thorough pre-employment screening. By performing a background screening or using a professional, qualified screening service to provide background checks on your behalf, you do more than simply verify a candidate’s qualifications. You create an environment of mutual trust that both your company and its employees can enjoy. You also provide added security to your clients and better build a reputation for trustworthiness in your industry.
Here are three of the biggest benefits to employee background screening.
1. An Honest Workforce
According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), candidates who had committed deviant or fraudulent acts on the job were most likely to have provided false information on their resumes as well. By weeding out these candidates early on in the pre-employment screening process, you may preemptively nip these issues in the bud. By preventing resume fraud, you also let your other employees know that you value honesty and true qualifications. This creates an atmosphere of trust between you and your employees and well as between employees. Your workers will know that no one hired took shortcuts to advance his or her career and everyone earned their spot in the company. Companies that value honesty from the beginning encourage their employees to be honest and trustworthy in every aspect of their work life as well.
2. Quality Hires
Preventing resume fraud also ensures that your company hires only the best, most qualified crop of candidates. A background screening service can uncover discrepancies and misreportings that may disqualify your potential employee. False information that can be found during verification of employment history, education, or certifications can be red flags that your candidate may not be able to handle the job for which he or she is interviewing. Hiring an unqualified person for a position is not only unfair to the company, it is unfair to the employee as well. Burdening an employee with tasks above his or her skill level will only result in that employee eventually being let go. Pre-employment checks prevent turnover. No one wants to fire an employee. Refilling a position unexpectedly can also be a hassle and a huge time investment. Save yourself the time and stress by thoroughly screening your hires beforehand. Doesn’t your company deserve the best its candidate pool has to offer?
3. Compliance and Risk Reduction
If you are in an industry such as banking, finance, security, health care, or any other state or federally regulated industry, you know that compliance is key. There are no shortcuts. Use a qualified background screening service to make sure you are not liable for fines or citations that an unqualified candidate could cause you to accrue. Background checks ensure a safe workplace. Certainly, by screening for behavioral issues you prevent liability for workplace-related incidents down the road. But even screening for small discrepancies may save your business big hassles. The US Chamber of Commerce estimates that 30% of business failures are a result of employee fraud and theft. Don’t be part of this statistic. Screen your employees and build an honest and stable workplace from the ground up.