Employee background checks are crucial in the hiring process, providing employers with essential insights into potential employees' backgrounds and identifying potential risks to the business. Although employee background verification may differ from company to company, its purpose remains to protect employers from hiring individuals who could cause harm to their business or clients.
Background checks help employers verify applicants' right to work, employment history, education credentials, criminal records, and more. This information lets employers confirm that applicants have the qualifications for the role they are applying for. It reduces the chances of hiring someone not eligible for a particular job due to a criminal record or other concerns.
The consequences of failing to conduct employee background checks can be severe, including potential legal issues, damage to the company's reputation, and putting employees and clients at risk. Therefore, employers need to take the necessary steps to conduct thorough background checks on all potential hires.
Meeting Compliance Requirements
Compliance with employment laws is crucial to ensure the safety of both employers and employees. Although background checks may not be legally required in every industry, they are generally considered a best practice to verify that new hires have all the required paperwork and are lawfully eligible to work in your business. In particular, background checks can help screen for illegal workers' employment, resulting in severe penalties, including imprisonment and unlimited fines.
Screening for Criminal History
Conducting thorough background checks to screen for criminal histories is integral to the recruitment process. However, ensuring that these checks are proportionate to the hired role is crucial. Additionally, it's illegal for employers to discriminate against applicants based on spent convictions, although specific industries are exempt from this rule. These industries include those working with vulnerable children or adults, law enforcement, national security, particular roles within healthcare, senior positions in finance and law, and private security work. Conducting background checks provides employers with the information to make informed hiring decisions.
Reputation Management
The reputation of a business is a critical factor in its success when it comes to attracting clients, developing partnerships, and even sourcing talent. Organizations must conduct legal and ethical background checks to ensure that they receive truthful and accurate information from candidates and can appropriately assess the candidate's suitability. The exact background checks required may vary between organizations and the position being filled. However, they are a crucial aspect of the recruitment process and must be carried out thoroughly to maintain the organization's reputation.
Advantages of Integrating ATS and Background Checks
Integrating ATS and background check processes can bring significant benefits to organizations. As per TechTarget's findings, nearly all companies across the globe, accounting for about 93%, include background checks in their hiring protocols, while 98% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS.
Since candidate data already flows through both processes, it makes perfect sense to integrate them. By doing so, companies can achieve a more robust and productive hiring process. This integration can bring several advantages, including streamlining the hiring process, reducing errors, and enhancing the candidate experience. Integrating your ATS with background screening provides various benefits, including:
1. Enhanced Productivity: Direct data flows from your ATS to your background check provider to eliminate double-entry and manual data transfers. You can track candidate progress through dashboards, take quick action, and improve time-to-hire.
2. Improved Compliance: Consistent use of necessary background check disclosure and signed authorization forms ensures compliance with screening regulations. Integration helps manage these forms, making them easily accessible and organized.
3. Informed Hiring Decisions: Integration offers a comprehensive view of candidates, avoiding switching between the ATS and the background screening company. It provides easy access to all necessary candidate information in one location, such as background screening results, interview notes, and contact details.
In conclusion, conducting background checks is crucial in one location, such as background screening results, interview notes, and contact details, and mitigating legal risks. If you still need to implement background checks for your employees, it's essential to start doing so quickly. This can significantly enhance your employer branding and attract top-notch candidates.