Employee Problems are Caused by Problem Employees

Question from the mailbox:  Is performing background checks worth the time and effort it takes?     

Answer:  For employers that do not perform background checks, one of the most frequently asked questions is why do it?  The short answer is that employee screening is one critical way to keep problem employees out of the workplace.  As any employer or human resources professional know, a great deal of time is spent dealing with employee problems. As Employment Screening Resources (ESR) advised  employers in the first edition of The Hiring Manual back in 2005, “problem employees usually cause employee problems.”  An employer is certainly ahead if they can try to minimize the problem employees in the first place. 

Of course, there is no perfect system to prevent bad hires.   Background checks alone are not going to keep an employer from hiring people they later regret having in the workforce.  The hiring process has a number of moving parts, but the background check is the critical final step. 

In addition, the cost if a background check will typically be less than the cost of that new employee on his or her first day on the job. That is pocket change compared to the damage one bad hire can cause. It is ironic that some firms will spend hours shopping for a computer bargain yet at the same time try to save money by not adequately checking out a job applicant, even though each hire  represents an enormous investment and potential risk.   

Nor is it difficult to set up a screening programming. Even for an overburdened HR, security, or risk management department already handling numerous tasks, outsourcing background screening can be done very quickly and effectively. ESR can set up the entire program, provide all the necessary forms in a short time and assist with legal compliance.