You’re a staffing services provider. How do you ensure the background checks you conduct are thorough?

We have always valued the thorough background services of the partners we have used. It is important to chose a background company that has excellent references and solid processes. Much background data is obtained is via digital connection. Connecting to courthouses, universities, obtaining arrest data is pretty standard between background providers. How they handle situations that require personal interaction, such as employment references or foreign data, is the difference. How are their employees trained and how solid are their communication skills? The skills they use to dig deeper if the results seem inaccurate, are key to a thorough and accurate background report.

The first step in ensuring thorough background checks is selecting a reliable partner with industry expertise and a variety of screening options. For example, partnering with a background check service provider like Checkr or Sterling, known for their experience, data sources, and adherence to industry standards, can enhance the quality and efficiency of your screening process. Verify their accreditation, read reviews, and assess customer support to make an informed choice for comprehensive background checks.

There are no barriers to entry in the unregulated background checking sector, therefore it's important to just go by first impressions. Seek referrals and recommendations from your counterparts in other organisations and check that your clearly-defined requirements for a screening partner align with the values and services listed by any short-listed providers. The best quality provider is not likely to be the fastest or cheapest supplier, so decide what's most important to your organisation.

Here are key steps to ensure -Communicate the background check process to candidates, including the types of checks that will be conducted and the information required. -Prioritize the security and confidentiality of candidate information. -Familiarize yourself with local, state, and federal background check laws. -Clearly define the scope of background checks based on the positions and industries you serve. -Conduct county, state, and federal criminal background checks. -If drug testing is relevant to the role, implement a consistent and legally compliant drug screening process. -Establish a standardized background check process consistently applied to all candidates. This helps ensure fairness and avoids potential biases.

Choosing a reliable partner for conducting background checks is paramount to maintaining the integrity and trustworthiness of your recruitment process. Opt for a partner with a strong reputation for accuracy, compliance with legal standards, and respect for privacy. They should offer comprehensive services that include criminal records checks, employment history verification, and educational background checks. Ensure they are adaptable and can tailor their services to meet the specific needs of different industries.

By identifying relevant screening components based on job risks, such as criminal history, identity verification, employment and education checks, and more, providers can create tailored screening packages for different positions. Prioritizing checks based on their importance and urgency, partnering with reliable screening vendors, staying updated with regulations, and offering customized solutions to clients further enhance the thoroughness of the screening process. By documenting the process and continuously evaluating and improving it, staffing services providers can ensure comprehensive and effective background checks.

The second step in ensuring thorough background checks is tailoring screening options to meet the specific needs of clients and candidates. For example, roles in finance may require credit checks, while positions involving driving might necessitate a driving record check. Customize the checks based on industry, role, and location, considering factors like risk level, information relevance, and obtaining candidate consent. This customization ensures a targeted approach that aligns with the unique requirements of each background check.

To ensure the thoroughness of background checks, customizing screening options based on the position and industry is essential. Tailoring the depth and scope of these checks allows us to address the specific risks and requirements of each role. For instance, financial positions may necessitate a credit check, while roles involving vulnerable populations might require more extensive criminal and reference checks. Staying updated with compliance and legal standards for each type of check is crucial to protect both the client and candidate's rights.

Here in the UK we are working with the Better Hiring Institute to create national hiring frameworks covering 80% of the UK workforce. These free guides, launched with UK government, provide best practice at an industry level on a range of hiring matters, including employee screening. Even if companies don’t follow this exactly, it enables them to benchmark what their industry standard is and see how they deviate from that.

Ensuring thorough background checks while adhering to laws and regulations is crucial in the staffing industry. Compliance is non-negotiable; we must be well-versed in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, and state-specific laws affecting employment screening. Our team is trained to understand these legal frameworks, ensuring that our background checks are conducted ethically and legally. We also maintain transparency with candidates about the screening process, obtaining their consent and providing them with the results as required by law.

The third step in ensuring thorough background checks is to adhere to relevant laws and regulations governing the use and disclosure of such information. Comply with federal, state, and local laws like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, and Ban the Box laws. Respecting candidate privacy is crucial, requiring transparent communication about the purpose, scope, and results of background checks. This legal adherence safeguards both the organization and the individuals involved.

The fourth step in ensuring thorough background checks is to regularly review and update your process. Monitor your background check service provider's performance, ensuring accurate and timely reports. Evaluate the effectiveness of screening options, adjusting them as needed. Stay abreast of changes in laws and regulations, updating policies and procedures accordingly. This proactive approach helps maintain a reliable and compliant background check process. Example: If a new law impacts background check procedures or if feedback suggests an aspect of the process needs improvement, promptly reviewing and updating policies will enhance the thoroughness and efficiency of the checks.

Staying abreast of changes in laws, technology, and industry best practices is essential. We periodically assess our screening processes to identify areas for improvement, incorporating feedback from clients, candidates, and legal advisors. This might involve updating our technology platforms for more efficient data processing, expanding our checks to cover new databases, or enhancing our training programs to ensure our staff are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills.

One of the biggest mistakes employers make is resting on their laurels and not changing with the times. A screening programme with policies and checks unchanged since before the COVID-19 pandemic is almost certainly going to fail to address the needs and risks that a modern approach to screening and vetting will address. Traditional approaches focusing on reference checks and criminal record searches, now fall short in terms of providing the same value and risk mitigation that they did just a few years ago. Online internet checks and reputational searches play a crucial role in complementing more traditional screening tools, plugging the gaps created by increased online and social media activity in today's digital world.

The biggest variable in background check turnaround times is now typically the speed at which candidates react to requests to complete their online screening forms. It doesn't matter if an employment screening provider can give instant results to a wide range of background check services if the candidate submission times average a week or two. Ensuring that candidates are well briefed on the process, the provider, the requirements and the importance of the role of background checks in the onboarding journey will pave the way for a better and more efficient candidate experience. Where possible, candidates liaising directly with the background checking provider will expedite the process and protect valuable HR time and resource.

Collaboration across industry is key. We spoke in UK Parliament last summer on how to make “UK Hiring the fastest globally” using the experiences and learning and thousands of UK businesses. The plan, now with Ministers, is a collaborative approach to boost the economy and cut waiting lists and workloads by making hiring and employee checks the fastest they can be. All of this was based on the collaboration between UK businesses.

I always make sure that the background checks are sent to clients after they are finished. We are very detailed when guiding our candidates through the process as well. We call and texts candidates to keep up communication. Finally we use calls and emails to keep clients up to date on results.

The fifth step in ensuring thorough background checks is effective communication and collaboration. Establish clear expectations with clients, informing them about the benefits and limitations of checks. Transparently communicate with candidates, explaining the process and results. Encourage feedback and resolve issues promptly. For instance, keeping clients informed about the background check process and maintaining open communication with candidates ensures a smoother and more transparent experience for all parties involved.

The sixth step to ensuring thorough background checks is to enhance your reputation as a staffing services provider. By demonstrating professionalism, credibility, and commitment to safety through comprehensive background checks, you build trust with clients and candidates, showcasing your commitment to quality and compliance. This enhances your competitive advantage and attracts more stakeholders to your services.

By committing to exhaustive and accurate screenings, we not only ensure the reliability of the candidates we place but also build trust with our clients. This involves adopting best practices in compliance, utilizing advanced screening technologies, and partnering with reputable verification services. Regularly reviewing and improving our background check procedures to reflect the latest legal standards and market demands is key.

In the UK we are working with the Prime Minister’s Anti-Fraud Champion - an MP - to launch the first ever guide on preventing Hiring Fraud. This covers the complex problems of modern hiring such as Reference Houses and the misuse of AI. This guide launches on February 22nd and is free for all UK business to help them respond to modern hiring fraud and help make UK Hiring the safest it can be.

Reach out to previous employers for an ‘off the record’ chat. Don’t require them to put anything in writing, and approach the line manager or previous colleagues rather than HR This will give you the best chance of getting a response, and also that it be an honest response. If they’re unwilling or reluctant to talk to you, then this can tell its own story. Who wouldn’t be happy to sing the praises of a former employee or team member who was great? Informalise it as much as possible. The language of a ‘good egg check’ can make the conversation seem less weighty. Remember, if someone is likely to flake out and perform badly in a role, or not even follow through with it, then better not to place them in the job at all.