Employment Screening 101: Why Background Checks Are Important?

Hiring the right employees can be difficult, especially in highly competitive fields where one bad hire can cost you money, time, and business. That’s why background checks are an important part of the hiring process. Here at TruDiligence, we’ve helped thousands of companies with their employment screening needs. So, we thought we’d provide some basic information about employment screening to make the process smoother for other employers who might need our services in the future.

What Are Background Checks?

A background check is an investigation of a person’s history. The purpose of a background check is to help employers ensure that they are hiring the right person for the job. Background checks will provide information about a person’s education, past work experience, criminal record, and any other negative issues that may have come up in their past.

Employers can use this information to determine if the applicant would be compatible with their company culture and whether or not they have had any issues with workplace conduct in the past.  Background checks may seem like an invasion of privacy, but companies need to be able to hire people who will fit well within their organization.

Why Are They Important for Employment Screening?

Background checks help ensure a safe workplace. Employers have to provide a safe work environment for their employees, and part of that is screening applicants to make sure they don’t pose a threat. This, in turn, ensures a company avoids negligent hiring lawsuits in cases where an employee does something bad on the job and the employer didn’t do a background check.

They are also crucial since they prevent identity theft. For example, social security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and other sensitive information can help identify thieves who steal someone’s identity. They also prevent the notion of gender or racial discrimination with employment screening. It’s illegal to discriminate against anyone because of their race or gender regarding hiring decisions. Some people might feel like they’re being discriminated against when they’re not getting a job. In contrast, it’s information in their background check that makes them seem less desirable than other candidates (such as credit score).

Final Thoughts

In today’s job market, employers must be more diligent than ever to protect their businesses and employees. A background check is one of the best ways to screen applicants and ensure that you’re hiring the best candidate.

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, TruDiligence has compiled a wealth of knowledge about employment screening. As a full-service background check and investigative firm, we offer FCRA-compliant background checks to ensure you find the best employees. From pre-employment investigations to ongoing monitoring and criminal record searches, we’ll take care of it all. Contact us today for more information on how we can help!