IN EMPLOYMENT SCREENING

Background screening of employees is often incomprehensible to Human Resources departments, because the person is already employed by the company, and sometimes has even been working for several years.

In companies where there are no hiring policies or where the policies are from recent years, older employees have not gone through these processes. They may not even be aware that the company has implemented these policies. Companies unfamiliar with hiring policies often have some difficulty understanding the purpose of these screenings.

The first thing is to understand why they are implemented hiring policies. This policy is in compliance with the obligation to prevent risks in companies. Background screening is about ensuring that employees do not represent a security risk from the company, its colleagues or its clients. This is especially important in projects that handle sensitive information or valuable resources.

Many industries have particular regulations that require employee background checks. Complying with these regulations not only avoids legal penalties, but also protects the company's reputation.

Additionally, verifying employment and educational background ensures that employees have the skills and experience necessary for the project. This contributes to the efficiency and success of the project.

On the other hand, a background screening can identify a history of fraudulent or dishonest behavior, helping to prevent possible incidents of fraud within the company. In projects involving technology development or innovation, it is vital to ensure that employees do not have a history of intellectual property theft.

Even so, you are probably still wondering, “Why do background screening on employees if we already know them because they work for our company?”

Because this process is not exclusively for new hire candidates, if not for candidates for a new job. This new job can be for another department Within the company itself, it may be to occupy a position role of greater responsibility in the same department or it can also be to be part of a team that will work in a specific project.

These are the most common situations in which the employee is required to complete the “in Employment Screening” process.

There may be other situations that motivate the performance of an “In Employment Screening” but the important thing is not what motivates this procedure, but how communications with employees are managed when they have to go through a process that they are unfamiliar with and that makes them suspicious.

We would like to stress that the aim of background screening is not to distrust employees, but to protect all those involved and ensure the success of the project. It is therefore important to rely on professionals when carrying out these checks. We can advise you on how to manage them.

For more information, see our other publications on internal communication of background screening policies and procedures.