Human Resources is the sun around which a company revolves … and the driving force for its success. For most companies, there’s no more valuable asset than its people - and HR is the place where the magic happens.
When it’s your team’s job to make sure that the company’s employees are the cream of the crop, there’s a lot at stake and this important process usually begins with background checks. While these checks can be time-consuming, they’re vital for ensuring the integrity of the brand and, in this article, we’re looking at ways in which HR can use surveys to streamline background checks.
What Are Background Checks And Why Are They Important?
There’s a lot that goes into vetting potential new employees to ensure the reputation of the brand and the safety of employees and, in this section, we’ll whizz through some of the things that are being checked for:
Safety and risk assessment
This is the first - and most important - check that needs to be carried out as it speaks to security. HR will look to see whether a candidate has a criminal record, because someone who has been convicted of theft may be a risk to company assets. Similarly, a candidate with a violent crime on their rap sheet might be a danger to other members of staff. This information helps Human Resources to either dismiss the candidate or delve deeper into their history through further checks.
Trust but verify
Most of us have, at times, embellished a little on our CVs and it’s only natural to want to present ourselves in the best light. It’s not, however, OK to tell major porkies such as claiming fictitious qualifications, achievements or previous roles. It’s down to HR to verify the information included on somebody’s CV to ferret out any signs of dishonesty.
Legal and regulatory compliance
While some roles require only that you have the necessary skills and experience, others in more sensitive sectors will require additional safety guards. Healthcare, education and organisations which deal with vulnerable people all require special DBS (Disclosure and Barring) checks and HR will be checking closely that this is the case.
Better insights for better hiring decisions
Just as important as all of the above, background checks give a better insight into a potential employee which, in turn, gives them an idea of how they will fit into the company culture and values.
How Surveys Will Streamline Background Checks
While necessary, background checks can be lengthy and complex involving a great deal of research as well as waiting around for information.
Because of this, lots of businesses are turning to surveys to help speed up and streamline the process. How do they do that? Let’s take a look:
- Pre-screening - These are short questionnaires which can be sent to candidates who have passed the first, basic stage of recruitment. Pre-screening surveys can help to assess metrics like qualifications, motivation and cultural fit to allow HR to decide if the guy or gal is worthy of an interview.
- Data verification - This is usually sneaked into the initial application process and involves prompting the candidate to elaborate on information such as education, employment history and certifications. This extra info allows for automated verification where those who have been less than honest will be weeded out.
- Reference checks - When a candidate looks like he or she might be a good fit, a company will usually request a reference from a previous employer. In the old days this would be done via snail mail or playing telephone tag with the referrer. Now, more and more companies are saving time and hassle by sending short surveys in order to collect the same information.
- Candidate experience - While background checks are serious stuff, it’s also important to keep the candidate experience in mind during the recruitment process. Surveys are a good way of finding out how candidates felt about the process and therefore help you to make improvements.
Tips For Implementation
We’ve explained why surveys are a good idea but putting these into practice is so much more than just chucking a bunch of questions together and hoping for the best.
In this section, we’re sharing our tips for getting the most out of the process:
Use the right tool for the job
As with most things, there are countless tools out there when it comes to creating surveys - and the effectiveness of yours depends on you finding the right one. Your best bet is to look for a tool or software that has automated data collection and processing, coupled with integrated verification services as this dream team will ensure accuracy and reliability. It’s also a good idea to set your sights on a tool with a customisable workflow which you can hook up to a background check platform like
Triton records checks.
Keep it relevant
If you want the best results, you need to keep it short and relevant. Always avoid generic questions and go for open ended ones that encourage the candidate to provide detailed responses as this will give you much deeper insights into their experience and character.
If you'd like to learn more about what we provide, why not take a look at how we can help?
Boost your skills with our market-leading online courses at super-low prices.
Keep it simple
When implementing surveys, there’s no need to get all complicated. Setting up clear and consistent processes is key here - as is making sure that the HR team, the hiring manager, the candidates and the stakeholders are all familiar with these. This will help to promote a positive candidate experience as well as keeping everything consistent.
Use a friendly reminder
During the recruitment process, you want responses as quickly as possible and automated reminders are a good way of prodding candidates who may have forgotten to provide feedback when first asked.
Ethical And Legal Challenges Of Background Checks
These days, we all know the dangers of being free and loose with people’s data and personal information and so here, we’re diving into some things you need to keep in mind when conducting background checks:
Regulatory compliance
As important as background checks are, there are a few things that it’s illegal to do and these include:
- Conducting background checks without consent
- Requesting disclosure of spent convictions
- Requesting disclosure of protected characteristics such as race, religion, gender or disability
Breaching any of these can leave your company open to legal action so it’s vital that you color within the lines on this one.
Privacy
This one can be a bit of a tightrope as, when applying for a job, a candidate’s privacy must be protected. This means that the information that you collect should not be disclosed to third parties - which can be a sticky wicket when working with external evaluators or search consultants.
Accuracy
HR departments have an obligation to verify the accuracy of information received in order to ensure the details held on file are correct. If in doubt, discuss any discrepancies with the candidate to give them the opportunity to contest any errors which may hinder their chances of getting the job.
Public safety
Balancing staff and public safety with a fair and reasonable recruitment process can be extremely challenging and assessments should remain objective and based on the facts.
Conclusion
As you can see, surveys can be an incredibly valuable tool when it comes to collating recruitment information quickly and efficiently but, as we’ve shown in this article there are a few pitfalls to watch out for. By choosing the right tool for your requirements and putting in place best practices for compliance, you can make sure that surveys will work for you - not against you.
FAQs
How can surveys help to streamline background checks?
Surveys can be used to collect preliminary information, reduce the number of questions asked during the formal interview and allow for early identification of potential issues.
What types of information can be gathered through surveys?
Surveys can gather information like previous employers, addresses and employment history to speed up the background check process.
How do you handle discrepancies or inconsistencies reported in surveys?
The best way to handle this is to cross check with other sources for information and, where appropriate, speak to the candidate about any concerns.
