A Comprehensive Approach to Protecting Your Business from Insider Threats
Conducting continuous screening of employees periodically throughout their employment may seem like a fool-proof way to protect yourself against insider threats, but Lester Rosen, CEO of Employment Screening Resources, says otherwise.
While it’s true that employee screening is a crucial component of any hiring process, protecting your interests post-hire is a much more nuanced and complex endeavor. It is especially important to tread carefully when conducting criminal background checks, because legislation protecting employees from discrimination based on their criminal histories is becoming more prevalent.
What’s the Overall Strategy?
Rosen asserts that spotting and preventing insider threats requires “an inter-disciplinary approach” that includes more than just continuous background checks. It can include:
- mental health assessments
- psychological testing
- physical security
- internal controls
- continuous personnel evaluations beyond criminal histories (performance, integrity, etc.)
- supervisor and personnel training to spot behavioral red flags
- identifying risk factors
- team collaboration
- cultivating a culture of safety, reporting, and integrity
Overall, Rosen recommends the formulation and implementation of a cohesive strategy by a strong team of leaders. This plan may include continuous employee screening or it may not. Each company is different, and one of the highest priorities must be to avoid creating a workplace environment that fosters uncertainty and fear among employees. This is a real possibility when employees start to feel like their positions are constantly at risk. Make sure your policies are clear and in complete compliance with FCRA and EEOC rules.
Contact VICTIG to learn how to implement your own inter-disciplinary approach to protecting your company.