Verity journal

The hiring process can be long and tedious, sometimes employers are required to repeat the process over and over again because they keep getting hires that just don’t fit. When it comes to getting the right candidate, there are no shortcuts, which is why it is important not to omit the important step of pre-employment screening.

However, many might feel that this only adds to an already long process but the truth is, this addition can greatly improve the hiring process. Here are five reasons why pre-employment screening is an important part of the hiring process:

1. It highlights on-the-job redflags

Pre-employment screening helps to red-flag issues that would hamper the candidate’s ability to do their job well. Imagine if you’re hiring a teacher, it would be important and relevant to identify if the person has a short temper and is prone to violence. Likewise, an accountant with massive debts should also be a red-flag.

2. Find out if they have a criminal background

One of the biggest nightmares for employers would be that they unwittingly hired a hardened criminal. While this scenario is rare, pre-employment screening would at least give you peace of mind by identifying any criminal convictions in a person’s past. Although a conviction for a parking offence is nothing serious, it would be a huge concern to find out that you’ve hired a convicted stalker. Either way, having the information before committing to a hire would help you make a more informed decision.

3. It minimizes risks

Imagine hiring an engineer to undertake a large building project only to realise he is a fraud while the project is already underway. Unvetted employees can pose great threats to work and public safety, thus, pre-employment background screening would help you mitigate possible risks as you are able to verify past records, including professional and academic credentials.

4. It helps to create a safer workspace

A safer workspace allows employees to trust each other for better teamwork and a more effective organization. From perverts to embezzlers, pre-employment background screening can be a good tool to help filter out unsavoury characters that might pose a threat to the company’s security and interests.

5. A full picture helps you understand if you’ve got the right hire

When it comes to the hiring process, every candidate will be on their best behaviour and they would be putting their best foot forward, so it can be tough to see past the charm and identify red flags. How would you know who they really are? An employee screening report can help you observe their past records as it is a good indicator of how they would behave in the future.

Pre-employment screening may seem like an additional step but the truth is, by nipping problematic candidates in the bud, you may prevent the need to repeat the hiring process all over again.