Around 90% of small businesses said in a survey that they now conduct at least one background check on people applying for a job with them. For small businesses, background checks are essential to uphold their reputation, ensure employee and customer safety, and make sure they are screening job applicants safely. If you are a small business owner, or are thinking of applying for a position in a small business, here’s what you need to know about background screening from identity checking to DBS checks.
Importance of Background Checks for Small Businesses
Background checks help small businesses guard against potential risks of employee fraud and theft. They act as a safety net, spotting hidden risks and red flags which may be lurking in someone’s background. A larger organisation may be able to absorb the costs of internal fraud or damage to reputation, but this is not so easy for a small operation. Background checking ensures the selection of the most qualified applicants, preventing significant expenses associated with hiring the wrong individuals or taking on someone who has been less than honest about their qualifications and work experience. In the long run, background checks help small businesses minimise the risk of hiring of incompetent or unsafe employees, and reduce costs associated with sacking a rogue employee and hiring someone else.
Types of Background Checks
Each employer will have their own policy about the sort of checks they wish to conduct. The main checks you can expect to come across are:
• Criminal record checks – basic DBS checks can be carried out on any employee, with standard and enhanced checks restricted to specific positions and responsibilities.
• Employment checks – chasing up references to make sure that an applicant’s actual job history tallies with that stated on their application.
• Qualification checks – checks with universities, college, or school to make sure that someone has obtained the qualifications which they have declared on their application.
How To Run Background Checks
There are several things which employers can do to make sure their background checking is both robust, and the system is transparent for people going through it. Employers should always get consent for any checks they wish to run and explain what they are checking for and why. Businesses must ensure that they operate within the law and should take advice on best practice from experts to make sure they are compliant. Many small businesses prefer to outsource their background checking to an external third party, and they should be clear about what services and checks they want to be carried out.
Complying With Background Checks
If you are an employee who has been asked to go through background checking, try not to take it personally. This will be a standard process rather than any reflection on you, or your experience. Make sure you haven’t exaggerated your experience or lied about your academic qualifications and comply quickly with any requests for more information or to verify your identity with passport or other documents. The whole process shouldn’t take too long, ensuring you’re in your new position as soon as possible.
