While government agencies, educational institutions and many businesses have been screening employees for years, the way in which screening is conducted has changed with the times. Even so, the need for employee screening has never abated, as hiring an untrustworthy employee who has lied on his or her resume, has a criminal record and/or is not in the country legally can have serious repercussions. We present a summary of the top three employee screening trends in 2016 below.
The Top Three Employee Screening Trends in 2016
Social Media Employee Screening Trends
The number of organizations that use social media to screen job applicants has jumped by 33% in the last two years. Nonetheless, checking a job applicant’s social media accounts is still as risky as ever. Employers who use social media and Google searches to find out more information about job applicants are likely to stumble across information that would create a bias against the applicant. Rejecting a job applicant on the basis of information discovered in a social media search can result in a costly, lengthy lawsuit.
Post-Hire/Ongoing Employee Screening Trends
While transportation companies and institutions providing healthcare are already required by law to regularly screen existing employees, other companies are also jumping onto these employee screening trends. Many employers are realizing that employees change over time and that a one-time screening may not be sufficient to prevent problems such as fraud, theft, harassment and hacking. A 2014 survey shows that well over a quarter of all American companies use ongoing employee screening to maintain office safety and security, and the number of businesses using this form of screening is set to grow for the foreseeable future.
Ban the Box
Ban the Box refers to a drive to drop the box on employee application forms asking if the applicant has ever been committed of a crime. There is concern that many applicants are discounted as potential employees based on this one question. However, there is also a real concern that companies which are prohibited from asking about an applicant’s criminal record outright will use roundabout ways to find out if a prospective employee has ever spent time in jail or on probation.
While the importance of employee screening is clear, the way in which it is done is equally as important as ensuring that screening is conducted in the first place. A wise business owner will want to find a reputable company that can provide information in an effective yet legally compliant manner to avoid serious business and legal problems.
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