You’ve verified the applicant has a clean record, completed their education, is fully licensed, and is highly recommended by their former employers. You can make an informed decision to hire with confidence! Job well done! Now, it’s time to consider your current employees.
Part III: Current Employees
Here’s an overview of what to consider when expanding your background screens beyond pre-employment:
- Implement periodic, random re-screening of current employees
- Catch-up screen existing employees who haven’t gone through the process yet
- Create a ReScreen package for transfers and promotions
Adopt a Re-Screening and Catch-up Screening Policy
Re-screen employees for things that may have changed, such as a clean driving record or criminal background, and catch up on current employees who were hired before your background screening program was implemented. Communication and consistency are your tools to success!
ReScreen – If your employee drives a company car, do you know that the last minute week off wasn’t a fabulous trip to the slammer following a DUI? Re-screening and random screening regulations exist in many industries, such as license renewal verifications and DOT mandated drug tests. Similar policies can be easily and often inexpensively adopted for your organization because you’re running a scaled back search in comparison to your pre-employment screen. The purpose is to ensure your current employees continue to meet your company standards.
Catch-up Screening – Most companies implement pre-employment background checks, but can easily overlook running the same history on current employees. Embracing this practice can identify a Catch Me If You Can wannabe who’s been climbing the ladder under false pretense, ensure your company’s drivers do not have DUIs, or increase the safety of children coming to your play center.
Promotion & Transfer Screen
Verify the “new requirements” of a position via a background screen to bring your previous screen up to the level of the new position.
Nearly every different job at your company holds a different set of qualifications. Everyone has a life outside of work. Just as you would want to know about that life from the applicant you just met, the same applies to someone you’ve known for a while.
Even if you attend your employee’s graduation ceremony for their Master’s degree, do you know that they don’t have outstanding coursework and weren’t just walking with their class? If an MBA is required for promotion to director of her department, it’s a good idea to make sure an MBA was awarded.
Compliance and Consistency
As your background screening program expands, make sure you are consistent in your practices. Always tie the scope of a background screen to the position, not the individual. Have a conversation with your HR department and your legal support to keep your practices compliant and without implication of discrimination. This includes consent forms and Adverse Action processes.
Final thoughts…
Here at Choice Screening, we want you to use our services in the most strategic way possible, getting the information you need, narrowing the gap of the unknown, and supporting your background screening program beyond the initial hire without unnecessary overspending.
Are you ready to talk about your services and investigate expansion?
