More than two thirds (69%) of employers run criminal background checks. Are you one of them? If you aren’t, here are a few reasons you should be running compliant background checks on your new hires and employees:
- Promises are Often Broken
- In businesses where continuous background checks are not company practice, the employer is forced to rely on employee honesty. Most employee handbooks require workers to report criminal charges or convictions to their employer immediately, but this corporate policy relies on the employee disclosing the information and risking losing their job. By completing continuous background checks during the term of their employment, employees know that their bosses will find out anyway and will be more likely to come forward to discuss their situation.
- Liability
- The primary reason many businesses run background checks is to protect them from financial or criminal liability. If you place someone with a driving while intoxicated record in a position where his or her primary responsibility is driving, you may be found liable for any damage or harm he or she causes.
- It’s Cheaper than a Lawsuit
- Reverting back to the liability aspect, we talked about potential damage or harm you could be found liable for if an employee with a known history were to act recklessly. That harm may come with a hefty price tag attached, which may hurt your company’s bottom line. By knowing a candidate’s history, you can help protect yourself from potential liability and lawsuits.
- You Know They’re Honest
- 38% of employees have lied about their previous job responsibilities, according to a Career Builder survey. Those figures are even higher in the Hospitality, Transportation/Utilities, and IT sectors, where the rate may be as high as 60%! A resume is your first way to get to know a candidate. By checking that their information is correct, you start off on the right foot and get a sense of their integrity.
Most importantly, you should be insuring that your background checks suit your needs and hiring requirements. Contact ClearStar today to get started!
