[Phone rings]
Ann: “Cutting Edge, this is Ann.”
Customer: “You seem to think that performing pre-employment background checks will give me a better workforce. That it will decrease turnover and I won’t have to give a few folks the old heave-ho.”
Ann: [Nods head aggressively]. “I do believe that.”
Customer: “So, in this case, instead of scaring us with:
- ‘Homicide is the leading cause of death on the job for women.’
- ‘Negligent hiring lawsuits and headlines will sink your business.’
You are giving us a positive reason for doing background checks?”
Ann: “Absolutely. Although I did scare you, just a little.”
Pre-employment background checks can improve your corporate culture. It’s easy.
- It proves to your current employees that you care about their safety and well-being. Having a vetting process like pre-employment background checks can ferret out applicants with a violent past. And you’ve probably heard it before: Someone’s past is the best predictor of their future. At least in the last seven years.
- It also shows your current staff that you want to be sure you are hiring people that can keep up.
- When you verify their employment, you know that they have the experience they claimed. A bonus if that previous employer actually tells you, “Dang I wish Bob would come back. He was the best!”
- Education verification tells you they have the degree required for the job. It may also tell you that they lied about graduating from high school.
- References will reveal if they are a self-starter, if they learn quickly, what their strengths and weaknesses are, if they communicate well.
Nearly 75% of all businesses run background screens on employment applicants. While they are almost always looking for criminal records, the softer side of the background check can uncover plenty of valuable information that may impact your corporate culture.
Background checks are a crucial place to start creating a that better, happier, more productive culture.
