UK Employers Negligence
Companies failing to properly screen job candidates can leave the organization vulnerable to fraud and theft and risk the safety and moral of every employee.
By Jesse Newman, Marketing —
According to a study performed by SterlingBackcheck, a global background screening company, 38 percent of employers in the UK do not verify if job applicants can legally work. Only 58 percent of organizations perform background checks as part of the hiring process. These statistics are very surprising considering current events and the threatening state of national security in Europe.
Why Are Employers Slacking on These Background Checks?
Clare Hart, CEO of SterlingBackcheck, offered her insight on the issue. She argues that employers who do not do everything they can to prevent illegal employees from working in their organizations are failing in their duty to their firms. It is every company’s responsibility to conduct document checks to ensure that they are only employing those who have permission to work in the UK. Companies have neglected this responsibility because of the tight labor market and lack of employees searching for jobs.
This study highlights that large companies recruiting upper level management such as executives, directors, and managers tend to perform detailed employment background checks as part of the process. Smaller companies with fewer than 100 employees tend not to perform these checks. In fact, this study found that only 50 percent of part-time employees were screened, and only 28 percent of volunteers were screened.
What Are the Consequences of Failing to Screen Applicants?
Hart argues that companies who ignore this responsibility risk harming their firms in more ways than one. She asserts that even with lower-level employees, failing to properly screen job candidates can leave the organization vulnerable to fraud and theft, and risk the safety and moral of every employee. Not to mention, businesses that fail to carry out these background checks are risking a civil penalty of £20,000 per illegal worker, and damage to the firm’s reputation.
What Are the Benefits of Conducting Background Checks as Part of the Onboarding Process?
When considering whether or not to implement background screening in your business, there are a few key factors to consider. While the initial cost and time associated with these screens can cause some to shy away, the bigger picture must be seen in order to make the best decision.
According to this study, the main reasons that employers conduct these screenings are to meet regulatory compliance, to improve the quality of the employees that are hired, and to improve the safety and security within the workplace.
With the development of new technology, anyone can apply for a job anywhere around the world. Employers need to take measures to protect their organizations as well as their employees. Some sort of screening should be part of the hiring process on every level of every organization.
EyeDetect as a Solution
EyeDetect, a new non-intrusive and cost-effective technology that offers a solution to the problems identified in this study. Many companies do not conduct pre-employment screening simply because they believe that the costs outweigh the benefits. EyeDetect is a quick and inexpensive tool that can be used on a large scale and will solve this problem. It has already proven to be effective in Latin America and the U.S. It is the solution to these UK employers to protecting their businesses.
Source
Photo courtesy of Dave Collier.
