4 Reasons Why Pre-Employment Background Check Is Important

Hiring a new staff member may be a big investment and an important decision for a business.

 The hope is they’ll stay with the organization for quite some time and continuously deliver great work that impacts the business positively.

Unfortunately, bad hires happen a lot. In the best-case scenario, you will quickly realize your mistake and the employee will move on before doing any real harm. In the worst case, they will fail to do the task, lower workplace morale, or cause other serious problems for your company. Either way, you’ll need to resolve a difficult situation and make an effort to rehire.

You can lower the possibility of making the wrong choice by conducting background checks before making any employment offers to candidates. The background checks will reveal any details the person may have hidden from the company and whether or not they have been dishonest during the interview process. This way your company will invest in honorable people only. 

What Is Covered In A Pre-Employment Background Check?

A typical background check uses a person’s name, social security number, and birthday to collect various information on them from public and personal databases. This can often be done with a help of a respected background check provider who can access all the sources and create a simple, easy-to-understand report on the potential employee for the employer to review. Background checks can last from a few minutes to a few days. For example, a fingerprint background check takes from one to three days, a gun background check is processed within minutes by an electronic scan, and the criminal background check can take up to five days. In most cases, employers check the following areas:

• Criminal history (Learn if the applicant has been convicted of a criminal offense, is on probation, has outstanding warrants, or is on a convict registry or government watchlist).
• Identity verification (Confirm the applicant has provided his/her real name and social security number, as well as if they are U.S. citizens and have a legal right to work there).
• Employment history (Check the companies the applicant was employed with and verify the accurate work history).
• Government-issued licenses (If you are hiring for a job that needs a license, such as a medical license, teaching credential, or a CPA license, make sure you find out if the applicant has a valid credential).
• Education background (The accuracy of the degrees and the universities on the candidate’s CV must be verified).
• Credit check (Find out if the candidate is financially responsible, especially if they will be managing the budget or have access to company money).
• Motor vehicle records (Learn if the applicant has been involved in any accidents).

Now that you have learned what a pre-employment background check is, please read about some reasons why running it is a great idea.

1. Objectivity

A charming personality may sometimes cause you to overlook very important factors for candidacy because we all want to hire people that we generally like. You may even miss some major red flags. The background check will provide the objectivity you need to hire trustworthy, qualified candidates. Remember that there are aspects of a candidate’s background only pre-employment screenings can provide insight to.

2. Peace Of Mind

When you think about the frequency of employee fraud, violence, or theft in the workplace it’s no wonder you feel a lot of stress when it comes to bringing new employees into your company. It is a significant risk, but screening prospective hires can give you some peace of mind. You will protect your company’s financial health and preserve a safe work environment. 

3. Reduced Costs

The hiring process can be quite pricey, but screening candidates before hiring them will help you avoid one of the most expensive mistakes you can make – hiring a bad fit. Whether they have to be let go or they quit themselves, this is a situation most employers tend to avoid. Fortunately, a background check is a great way to help you lower the business’ turnover rate.

Not to mention that when the candidates know there will be a pre-employment screening, a lot of unqualified ones or the ones who have something to hide will drop out.

4. Uphold High Work Standards

When you are hiring a new employee it’s important that they are a good fit for your company culture. Establishing workplace rules and having policies you are not willing to compromise on will help both you and the candidate determine whether you are a good match. It’s vital to uphold the professional standards of your business and good employer branding.

A pre-employment background check is essential because it ensures the applicant is honest and doesn’t have a troublesome past. The more information you gather, the more confident you will be that you are making a good choice and hiring the best company for the best background checks services for your business.