What is Employee Screening & How it should be done
What is Employee Screening and How Should It Be Done?
Employee screening is a very important process for organizations which are looking at building a trustworthy and efficient workforce because, as someone has rightly said, employees make or break businesses.
Employee Screening, as the name suggests, involves evaluating potential employees to ensure they possess the necessary qualifications, skills, and characteristics to fulfill their roles, at the same time, aligning with the company’s values and culture. The purpose of employee screening is to minimize the risk to the organization arising from accidental or deliberate malpractice in the role.
The organization has a duty to perform due care and due diligence when hiring new permanent or contractual employees, particularly those that will operate in positions of trust. Proper employee screening not only helps in hiring the right talent but also reduces the risks associated with hiring unsuitable candidates. Here, we are trying to delve deeper into the importance of employee screening, the different methods used, and the best practices for conducting effective employee screening.
The Importance of Employee Screening
The purpose of employee screening is to minimize the risk to the organization arising from accidental or deliberate malpractice in the role. The organization has a duty to perform due care and due diligence when hiring new permanent or contractual employees, particularly those that will operate in positions of trust.
This screening procedure and associated checklist should be used once a recruitment decision has been made in principle, but before the final job offer has been made. It is not supposed to be done after the employee has started work as that would be subject to a separate legal, regulatory and moral framework.
This control applies to all prospective employees of the organization, particularly those who will have access to Companies IT systems.
The following policies and procedures are relevant to this document:
- HR Security Policy
- Segregation of Duties Guidelines
- Employee Screening Checklist
- New Starter Checklist
Below points highlight the importance of employee screening:
- Risk Mitigation: Proper employee screening helps in identifying candidates with a history of criminal activities, substance abuse, forgery or other behaviors that could pose a risk to the organization. This reduces the likelihood of workplace violence, theft, fraud, and other harmful activities.
- Ensuring Competency: Screening ensures that candidates have the necessary skills, qualifications, and experience to perform the given job effectively. This is crucial for maintaining productivity and achieving organizational goals.
- Protecting Company Reputation: Hiring individuals without proper screening can lead to scandals or legal issues that tarnish the company’s reputation. Thorough screening helps in maintaining a positive public image.
- Legal Compliance: Many industries are subject to regulatory requirements mandating employee screening. Non-compliance can result in hefty fines and legal repercussions.
- Cultural Fit: Screening helps in assessing whether a candidate aligns with the company’s values and culture, ensuring a harmonious workplace environment.
How to do Employee Screening?
This applies to the recruitment of all personnel including permanent full-time or part-time roles, consultants and temporary contractors. For personnel hired on contractual position with external third parties, it is expected that an acceptable level of screening is undertaken by the supplier and that evidence of this will be available.
The recruitment process should have relevant job descriptions and personnel specifications and advertising and interviewing should take place in a manner appropriate to the role. The preferred candidate should provide information both written and verbal in support of their application. The purpose of this screening procedure is to ensure that as much as possible of the information provided can be verified before employment.
In accordance with HR Security Policy (ISO 27001:2013 Annex A.7), the specific screening activities that should be applied in any case will depend on a number of factors in line with the level of risk associated with the role.
The answers to the following questions must be considered:
- Will the employee have access to classified information?
- Will the role have access to financial assets?
- Does the role have the potential to cause significant harm to the organization?
- Is there significant involvement in technology inherent in the role?
- Does the role involve driving a motor vehicle?
- Is the employee likely to come into contact with minors as a routine part of the role?
Methods of Employee Screening
Employee screening encompasses various methods, each designed to gather specific information about the candidate. Here are some commonly used methods:
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Background Checks:
- Criminal Record Check: This helps in identifying candidates with a history of criminal activities, ensuring they do not pose a security risk.
- Credit Check: Particularly important for roles involving financial responsibilities, this check assesses the candidate’s financial stability.
- Employment History Verification: Confirms the accuracy of the candidate’s employment history, job titles, and reasons for leaving previous jobs.
- Education Verification: Validates the candidate’s academic qualifications and degrees.
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Reference Checks:
- Professional References: Speaking with former employers or colleagues provides insights into the candidate’s work ethic, reliability, and performance. Also giving an insight into the employee’s conduct in the previous jobs.
- Personal References: These can offer information about the candidate’s character and interpersonal skills.
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Skill Assessments:
- Technical Tests: For roles requiring specific technical skills, candidates may be asked to complete practical tests or assessments.
- Aptitude Tests: These tests measure the candidate’s problem-solving abilities, logical reasoning, and other cognitive skills.
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Personality Assessments:
- Psychometric Tests: These assessments help in understanding the candidate’s personality traits, work preferences, and potential cultural fit within the organization.
- Behavioral Interviews: Structured interviews focusing on the candidate’s past behavior in various situations to predict future performance.
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Medical and Drug Testing:
- Physical Examinations: Ensures the candidate is medically fit for the job, particularly for physically demanding roles.
- Drug Screening: Identifies substance abuse issues that could affect workplace safety and productivity.
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Social Media Checks:
- Reviewing the candidate’s social media profiles can provide additional context about their behavior, interests, and character outside of the professional environment.
Best Practices for Conducting Employee Screening
To ensure an effective and compliant employee screening process, organizations should adhere to the following best practices:
- Develop a Clear Policy:
- Establish a comprehensive screening policy outlining the procedures, criteria, and methods to be used. Ensure the policy complies with relevant laws and regulations. This is also a mandatory part for adherence to several compliances and certification processes.
- Obtain Consent:
- Always obtain written consent from candidates before conducting any background checks or assessments. Inform them about the nature and scope of the screening process.
- Use Reputable Screening Services:
- Partner with accredited and reliable screening service providers to ensure professionally handled, accurate and thorough background checks.
- Be Consistent:
- Apply the same screening criteria and processes for all candidates to ensure fairness and avoid discrimination.
- Maintain Confidentiality:
- Handle all candidate information with utmost confidentiality and secure data storage to protect their privacy.
- Review and Update Screening Procedures:
- Regularly review and update screening procedures to reflect changes in laws, industry standards, and organizational needs.
- Train Hiring Managers:
- Provide training to hiring managers on the importance of employee screening, how to conduct interviews, and how to interpret assessment results.
- Implement a Comprehensive Approach:
- Combine multiple screening methods to gain a holistic understanding of the candidate’s suitability for the role.
Steps for Implementing an Effective Employee Screening Process
Implementing an effective employee screening process involves several steps:
- Define Job Requirements:
- Clearly outline the skills, qualifications, and characteristics required for the role. This will simplify the screening criteria and help with effective methods to be used.
- Develop a Screening Plan:
- Create a detailed plan specifying the types of checks and assessments to be conducted, along with the timeline and responsible personnel.
- Collect and Verify Information:
- Gather the necessary information from candidates and verify its accuracy through background checks, reference checks, and other methods.
- Conduct Interviews and Assessments:
- Use structured interviews and relevant assessments to evaluate the candidate’s skills, experience, and cultural fit.
- Analyze Results:
- Review the results of the screenings, interviews, and assessments to make an informed hiring decision.
- Provide Feedback:
- Offer constructive feedback to candidates, whether they are selected or not, to maintain a positive candidate experience.
- Make the Hiring Decision:
- Based on the screening results and overall evaluation, make the final hiring decision. Ensure all findings are documented for future reference.
- Onboarding and Training:
- Once the candidate is hired, provide comprehensive onboarding and training to integrate them into the organization smoothly, making them feel comfortable in the new environment.
One important thing to point out, amidst all that have been suggested above, is that most of the organizations primarily stress on the interview and assessment part of it, mostly ensuring technical skill-set match and paying less heed to the other, equally important steps. There’s a dire need to bring-in reforms if your organization too falls under that old-school category.
To conclude, employee screening is a crucial process that helps organizations build a competent, reliable, and secure workforce. By employing various available screening methods and sticking to the best practices (or rather, devising their own best practices), companies can mitigate risks, ensure compliance, and create a positive workplace environment.
Being mindful about hiring the right talent is the very first step towards the success of an organization because – “A business is only as successful as its workforce is.”
Refine your hiring process and build a strong, trustworthy team by investing in a robust employee screening process. Contact Us to get more information and professional guidance from our experts and understand how we can help you implement best practices to your screening process.