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 Safe Hiring Tips
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Workplace crimes, unethical business practices, misleading resumes, fraud and embezzlement, are becoming serious issues for organizations both large and small. Before a company opens its doors to new employees, hiring managers should be fully satisfied that the new employee could be fully trusted with confidential information, company assets and its reputation. They should take steps to determine if there are reasons not to hire the candidate. Without taking some steps to ensure safe hiring like pre employment screening of candidates, it is certain that a firm will make costly hiring mistakes.
Listed below are some measures that firms can take to ensure safe hiring, yet not discourage good applicants, who are anxious to work in a safe environment.
1. Introduce uniform policies and procedures across the firm for background screening of employees, temps and contractors. All it takes is one dishonest temp to expose your firm to legal liabilities, financial loss and even criminal involvement.
2. In your job announcements clearly indicate that you will be performing background screening. This discourages applicants who have something to hide. It also motivates applicants to reveal information about themselves they feel may be uncovered with a screening.
3. Use an employment application form for all candidates. Resumes may not have all information you wish to obtain. An application form also provides a place for applicants to sign consent for background screening. It should clearly state that untruthfulness or material omissions are grounds for termination of employment whenever the information is discovered.
4. Carefully review the application to look for red flags. If an applicant fails to explain why he left previous employers, fails to explain gaps in employment history, cannot recall the name of a former manager, or leaves critical questions blank, it should alert you.
5. During the interview ask the applicants if they have any concerns regarding pre employment screening. Good applicants will shrug off the question, while applicants with a problem may either reveal something or withdraw.
6. Make sure that you check all references as a part of pre employment screening process. Small information like start date, end date and job title, is invaluable to confirm an applicant’s whereabouts for the past few years and to make certain there are no unexplained gaps in employment.
7. Verify academic credentials with the relevant institutions that a degree was actually awarded. Do not rely on certificates provided by candidates.
These preliminary steps can help a company promote workplace safety with very little additional costs. |
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