Is Employment Screening Important?
When it comes to running a business enterprise, the employees play a crucial role. They are more or less the engine that drives the business towards success and continual growth. Hence, the reason employers rigidly and carefully select their employees.
From reading through tons of resumes to rigid interviews, employees are always careful with who they hire. That said, what are employers usually looking for before they can hire someone? Undoubtedly, they often check their credential, weaknesses, strengths and what they have to offer the company.
However, there is a crucial step that most companies often skip, and that is employment screening and verification. Employment screening and verification are crucial factors that can make or break your company considerably. Hence, both factors should be significant in your hiring process.
This begs the question, what is employment screening? What is employment verification? Well, let us take a look.
Employment Verification Defined
This process often involves the verification of a potential or current employee’s work history, education, references and eligibility. Such information acts a reference point, allowing to confirm the information the potential employee has given to you. That is, an employer will compare the information against the information in your resume.
This process also allows you, as the employer to fill in the gaps missing from a resume. Potential employees that have handed in their resumes are often advised to provide the needed information. This is regardless of whether the information is good or bad.
Employment Screening Defined
Employment screening is a process that is more or less similar to the employment verification process. It generally involves verifying the information provided in a potential employer’s resume. However, this one is a little more detailed as it also involves in-depth investigations.
Other than checking and verifying the person’s work history and education, this process also involves checking criminal records. Employers conduct this process so as to protect the business’ reputation, as well as to protect current employees from harm.
This process also involves a number of other investigations such as drug tests, credit history, lie detector tests and so forth. Employment verification is, in fact, part of the employment screening process as it allows to check the person’s work history and other background checks as well.
Now, that we’ve understood what employment screening is, and how employment verification comes into play, let us take a look at another crucial factor. Enter the importance of employment screening.
From what we’ve seen above, it’s clear that employment screening and verification is important. Let us take a look at some of the reasons why.
Avoid Liability
Liability can potentially impact your business or company negatively. In the business world, a liability is often a financial debt that the company needs to pay off after buying a product or asset. Liabilities can set a company back in terms of expenditure and uses in terms of resources.
If you fail to check a potential employer’s past and records, he/ she might end up becoming a liability. They may not only potentially harm your company’s reputation, but also cost you a lot of money as part of damage control. In other words, the damage they might end up inflicting on you and your company may cost you greatly. They may even steal from your company, costing you millions.
A Better Understanding Of The Potential Employee
It’s no secret that most applicants tend to lie on their resume in a bid to get a job. If you do not have a background check on them, then you may end up hiring an employee that is seriously underqualified. To avoid this, simply ensure that you incorporate employment screening into your hiring process.
This will help you sieve through those that are under qualified and those that are actually qualified for the job. This way, you can hire somebody that will actually benefit the company instead of hurt it.
Grants You Peace of Mind
After running a background check on them, you are able to verify whether their credentials are true. This will, of course, allow you to hire qualified employees that will be a great addition to your company. This way, you do not have to worry whether you hired the wrong person or not.
Protection of Current Employers
When you go through an employment verification process, you are doing it in favor of the company as a whole. Instead of only protecting your company’s reputation, you will be able to protect your employees from harm.
Hence, you should always check their criminal records and history. If the applicant has a bad criminal record, then it would be wise not to hire him or her. If you do, you will be putting your current employees in harm’s way.
Maintain A Drug- Free Environment
One of the things that an employer does during employment screening, is a drug- test. Employers should always check whether the potential employee is addicted to a harmful drug substance. If not, you may end up starting trouble in your work environment.
The employee could end up distributing drugs in your workplace. This could potentially impact the productivity of your employees. This, in turn, will affect the company’s performance considerably.
In conclusion, verification of employment is more or less a part of the employment screening process. However, employment screening allows an employer to gather more information on the applicant. Information such as criminal history and records, drug- use and habits, credit history and so forth. It allows you to know more than just the applicant’s work history and eligibility.
This allows you, as the employer, to protect your company as well as your employees. Hence, employment screening should always be a crucial part of the hiring process in any company or business. Regardless of whether you just started out your business, you always have to do a background check on your applicants. This will allow you to hire credible and qualified individuals so that your business can grow and progress.
