Post-Employment Screenings for HR Managers [Part 2 of 2]

Last week, we looked at pre-employment screenings for HR managers. This week, however, we are fast-forwarding through the hiring process — straight to when the candidates have officially become employees: post-employment screenings!

We recently came across a surprising finding from a 2017 survey by Endera. They found that while 98% of businesses conduct pre-employment screenings, less than 25% proactively screen current employees.

Post-employment screenings are not as widely talked about in the HR world, but they should be. Prevention is key to mitigating risk — both at the recruiting stage and afterwards.

In this blog, we’re looking at exactly why post-employment screenings are so important and how to incorporate them into your own workplace.

Why Use Post-Employment Screenings?

There’s a common conception that post-employment screenings can erode trust — that if you run a criminal background check, for example, on current employees, it’s saying that the organization doesn’t trust them.

However, post-employment screenings aren’t mean to be malicious or overkill. They serve a real purpose.

Endera reported that 1 in 1,000 employees are arrested each month, but only one in four CXOs surveyed believed they would know if an employee had a recent criminal incident.

What’s more, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) reported that fraud is more often perpetrated by people who have been with the company for a while. In the 2018 Report to the Nations, the ACFE revealed that fraudsters who had been with the company longer stole twice as much.

Further, there were red flags that indicated the potential for fraud from those currently employed — and one was living beyond one’s means and financial difficulties.

Post-employment screenings are also key for verifying professional licensing, especially when it needs to be renewed, or for companies that have recently introduced pre-employment screenings into the recruitment process — but didn’t always have it in place.

Last summer, an article drew attention in the news about a Quebec woman who had posed as a nurse for 20 years but didn’t have any training or certification. Post-employment screening can catch situations like that.

Post-Employment Screenings To Consider

Now that we’ve covered the importance of post-employment screenings, how do you decide which ones to incorporate into your organization?

Post-employment screening differs from pre- in that the screenings you select and the times that you select them may vary depending on the role.

For instance, you might want to screen someone working with children more regularly for a police record check. Drivers or those using company vehicles will need driver’s abstracts more frequently. Professional licensing renewal timeframes can vary.

The most common types of post-employment screenings to consider are:

·       Criminal background verifications

·       Driver’s abstracts

·       Credit check verifications

·       Education history for professional licensing/professional development verification

When should post-employment screenings be done? Again, the answer can vary depending on your company’s needs.

To standardize screenings, a good rule of thumb is once per year. They can even be folded in with an annual performance evaluation.

The key is how you communicate about these screenings. Rather than breed distrust, they can be used to show that your organization is committed to transparency and maintaining a secure workplace for both staff and clients. Have a clear policy and communicate it — and the reasoning behind it — candidly.

Due diligence doesn’t end at the hiring process. It should be part of your corporate culture to create a safer environment for all.

At Triton Canada, we offer custom post-employment screening solutions. Learn more about our verifications and how to incorporate them into your business. Call 1-844-874-8667 or visit www.tritoncanada.ca.

Does your organization conduct post-employment screenings? Let us know on social media. Triton Canada is on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.