Fundamentally, your onboarding process is your first chance at a good impression. Remember, you are not the only one doing the interviewing, your candidates are also trying to get a gauge on what your company is like and whether they would enjoy working for you. That is why having a smooth and efficient recruitment process is the first step in making a good impression, and as part of that process conducting appropriate and efficient background checks plays an important part in this. Some may find conducting background checks a waste of company resources; however, it is a key step not to overlook as the wrong hire could cost more than just your time but could cost the company it’s reputation.
We all know that making the decision to hire, advertising the role, and going through the interview process is a time-consuming and costly exercise, so when it comes to finding the right candidate, you want to be sure you have got it right the first-time round. By putting measures in place to screen your candidates you can ensure you have quality hires joining your team and you have not wasted valuable time and resource into onboarding someone that isn’t right for your company. When it comes to screening your candidates it’s important to be transparent about your recruitment process, so be sure to inform them that background checks are conducted as part of your company’s recruitment policy. This will prevent any potential cause for your candidates to be distrusting of your company should it not have been clear at interview stage. Not only that, but it shows to the candidate that as a business honesty and integrity is a fundamental part of your company's ethos.
Safety is paramount. If your team has access to children, vulnerable adults, or sensitive information there is no margin for error. As a recruiter or someone within Human Resources it is your responsibility to ensure that you have done everything you can to keep your business safe from people with malicious intentions. Performing background checks gives you an insight into who you are hiring and whether they possess the right skills and experience to do the job, not only that but it can uncover information that would have otherwise remained unknown had it not been discovered during the screening stage. Conducting background checks on candidates doesn’t mean that you want to scrutinise every last detail of their past but is to verify the authenticity of the information supplied so that an assessment of any potential risks can be considered.
Apart from the standard Right to Work checks that must be conducted by all HR departments when hiring new employees in the UK, some companies may need to conduct more rigorous background screening depending on the industry they work in and so it is important to seek the right advice if you are not sure what kind of checks you should be putting your candidates through.
From an outside perspective, making it clear that as a company you undergo rigorous pre-employment screening can increase your credibility to potential clients and future employees. Building a company’s brand and reputation takes time and investment, and by highlighting your internal policies you can be sure it will go along way with those that are yet to be sold on what your company has to offer.
No matter the size of your business investing in a reputable and trustworthy screening provider could save you time and money in the future. By outsourcing this time-consuming and often arduous process will not only save you time but can provide you with confidence knowing that you have conducted compliant and thorough background checks.
Do you need to streamline your onboarding process? We won’t bind you by any contracts or charge you a set-up fee, with our screening portal you can conduct screening at your pace with a pay as you screen solution.
