You may want to hire an employee straight away when you have a good feeling about them, get along well, and feel thoroughly impressed with their qualification and job history. You might feel as though you have found the perfect candidate; but what if they have a wealth of negative history that you wouldn’t otherwise know about, that could jeopardise the integrity of your business?
Recruitment checks mean that you can thoroughly vet a candidate to protect your business against any risky behaviour or criminal activity.
What Background Checks Should You Be Carrying Out, and What Do They All Mean?
It’s essential that employers use personnel checks during their recruitment process for those seeking new employment. There are a variety of checks which can be done, namely the following:
1. Basic DBS Check
A DBS check enables you, as an employer, to view any criminal convictions your applicant may have. A basic DBS check is the base way of viewing the applicant’s criminal record. This means you are able to make an informed choice regarding any unspent convictions or cautions the individual has.
2. Enhanced DBS Check
This is a more detailed way to check an applicant’s criminal record, and will offer a broader set of results regarding criminal behaviour. It will reveal both spent and unspent convictions on record, as well as cautions and warnings issued by the authorities, and allows a more generous look into what the local authorities hold on file regarding the applicant. This might be preferred if you wish to know of any warnings or serious behaviour the applicant has conducted, which may not be revealed on a basic DBS check.
3. DVLA Check
This is essential if you are hiring an employee who will drive as part of their job. A DVLA check means you can confirm that they have a valid license and that they will be suitable for safe and reliable driving within your business.
4. The Right to Work
You need to know whether your applicant has the valid documentation – for example, a passport or visa – that proves they have the right to work in the UK for the amount of time you need them to.
5. Identity Check
This enables an employer to check personal information against secure databases to substantiate that an individual’s identity is genuine.
6. Adverse Credit
This involves checking an applicant’s credit history for any financial concerns. This can be valuable for those employers needing a person to handle cash or valuables.
The Importance of Recruitment Checks
While the application process and interview stages are important and successful ways of meeting an applicant and judging their character, there is a lot that can be hidden by an individual. You are taking a person at face value, and although their credentials and CV may be impressive, and the initial meeting a success, you will never truly know as an employer what an individual is choosing to withhold in regards to criminal background.
Of course, in the category of identity, you also need to be sure that an individual is who they say they are.
In summary, this list of checks combined means you can rest easy knowing that you are hiring a trustworthy individual, who has the right to work in the country, is exactly who they say they are and doesn’t have any convictions which would go against the ethos of your business.
