Most businesses understand the baseline importance of a pre-hire background screening. From reference checks to criminal history, a pre-employment screening can tell you whether or not a prospective employee is up for the job. But did you know that a thorough background check process actually has far more benefits to your company? Here are 5 reasons why you should invest in robust employment screening.
- Reduce Losses
Most businesses have some kind of screening as part of their initial hiring process, but the quality of that process can impact the quality of your company. Failing to conduct a pre-employment screening--or conducting it incorrectly--can lead to major litigation and financial losses for your business, and settling an employment or hiring negligence lawsuit can cost thousands of dollars that take away from the real work you’re trying to do. Investing in a robust screening process up-front protects your company from significant losses later.
- Avoid Turnover
Even if a candidate doesn’t have legal red flags, such as fraud or employee theft history, thorough background checks can also uncover values misalignments that could lead to turnover. Turnover costs your company time and money that instead could be spent perfecting a product or service. For example, perhaps your small business is looking for a certain kind of culture fit, and a candidate prone to frequent job changes, inflating information, or with a poor credit history poses a potential misalignment with the kind of team you hope to build. If your background check didn’t go deep enough to explore these possible issues, you may end up with a hire that results in turnover. These issues can be clarified with thorough background checks, helping you discern the best fit and making you more confident in the people you hire.
- Ensure Hiring Compliance
Some jobs require background checks--and the more accurate, the better the hire. By meeting compliance requirements, you ensure a safer work environment, but this also allows many companies to offer better services to their customers. For example, pre-employment screening is frequently mandatory for positions in healthcare, childcare, education, security, and government, and while this may be a legal requirement, it can also offer you a competitive advantage to have all your employees complete an in-depth background check. An agency that hires nannies, for instance, can explain the quality of check to parent clients and use that as a competitive advantage to demonstrate both clear compliance adherence and a higher quality brand. Using background checks you trust can set you up for real success in many industries.
- Protect Company Image
At eKnowID, we value the idea of “screening in,” not just screening to rule candidates out. A robust pre-employment screening process helps businesses better identify employees who will offer a compelling customer-facing presence. The cost of public relations and crisis management can be very high when employees fail to represent your brand well. Alternatively, good employees create a stronger brand image, company reputation, and public-facing experiences for clients, whether in online interactions or in-person. An investment in quality background checks for your team to hire the right people is ultimately an investment in your company image.
- Personal Touch
When people think ‘robust screening’ they may immediately picture deep investigation. But it’s also about the personal touch. A thorough screening isn’t only one that uses state-of-the art technology to screen digital documentation, history, and reports: it’s also one that considers the personal aspects of hiring. It’s one that seeks to establish an accurate story for prospective hires--one that gives an employer a real sense of an individual. This personal touch is a key feature of a robust screening, and it can create confidence that you are hiring for success!
eKnowID helps businesses who want to make hiring decisions that set their company apart. What kind of pre-employment screening does your company need?
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