Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/330423
What is the most critical factor organizations should know about background screening? You get what you pay for. The industry is rife with companies that offer low-cost background screens that process in one day's time. Those are not real, data-driven searches. Think of those searches as garbage in, garbage out. These companies process the request in their own database— which often doesn't have the most updated information and can be false— and expect their clients to weed through the findings. This is how a candidate with the same name as a former criminal can be incorrectly screened. At PeopleG2, we provide today's intelligence, not yesterday's news. Other companies offer their clients screenings similar to last month's newspaper: the information is generally correct, but lacks all of the details. We deliver thorough, valid and up-to-date information. Key red flags for companies that don't run real searches include charging the same price for all screens and turnover time faster than 24 hours. It's certainly nice to have information back quickly, but if its not valid and might lead you into a lawsuit, how valuable is it? What is a key reason organizations should conduct background screens? Most people might not know this, but background screening can actually be used in part to predict an employee's success. An expanded, robust search can provide a bigger picture of an applicant to help organizations understand where they would fit in a company's landscape and culture. Employee and educational verifications are critical. We find that 25 to 30 percent of candidates have embellishments or completely lie about experience, credentials, or licenses. It happens all the time: a little white lie turns into a bigger one. Nowadays, candidates are turning their resumes into an exact fit of the job description. Take, for example, a debt management firm that brought in a managerial candidate to oversee a call center with 200 employees. This employee wasn't properly screened and the company learned the hard way that they didn't have all of the credentials or skills to manage. It was a $1 million dollar loss since the center had to be shut down and several lawsuits ensued. If they had conducted a broader search and due diligence, this would have been avoided. What risks do you mitigate by background screening? Organizations will protect themselves from: • Employee Theft. Disgruntled employees can cost organizations a lot of money. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce indicates that employee theft costs between $20 to $40 billion dollars per year. From office supplies, merchandise, and embezzlement, employees have the ability to impact your bottom line. • Exposure of Trade Secrets. Data theft costs organizations up to $1 billion and BBC finds 57 percent of employees report they will possess some confidential data when they leave the job. It's critical to protect this. • Turnover Costs. Companies that run small background checks have high turnover rates. If candidates are not the right fit, they can be in and out in three to six months. Consider all that organizations spend on recruiting and training. Companies can save as much as $25,000 by issuing a thorough background check. By identifying red flags and patterns with an applicant, a background check can be a vital tool in lowering employee theft, protecting trade secrets, and ensuring a positive workplace. Q : A : A bad hire can cost companies 30 percent of that employee's salary. So it's not surprising that background screening has increased in popularity during the last decade, allowing organizations to mitigate risks. The Society of Human Resources Management reports that nearly 70 percent of organizations screen their employee populations. But Chris Dyer, founder and CEO of PeopleG2, warns that not all background screening vendors are created equal. He offers key advice to ensure you get exactly what you need to hire the best candidates for your workforce. What You Need To Know With Chris Dyer, Founder and CEO, PeopleG2 Background Screening: 1. Follow the law. Make sure your background checks are compliant at the county, state and federal level. 2. Be consistent. Run the same types of checks for all job applicants for a particular position. 3. Go with quality. Never choose the cheapest company; make sure you enlist a third party that conducts valid and thorough screens. 4. Verify. Be mindful of what the person is presenting and that they do in fact have the skills, education, experience and credentials. 5. Ban the box. The industry is moving away from checking the criminal box in the front end of the process. Look at the applicant overall at first, then look into the crime and how it could effect the job. 5 Best Practices For A Background Screening Program Q : A : Q : A : ADVERTORIAL www.peopleg2.com (800) 630-2880