There are so many different tasks involved in running a business that it’s easy to get a little blasé about some aspects. This is perfectly understandable, necessary even in some areas.
Certain issues simply can’t be deprioritised, however, and one of those is candidate screening. In this article, we take a quick look at some of the main reasons why it’s so important, from the costs associated with making big hiring mistakes to the positive impact that candidate screening can have on keeping your company secure.
The cost of hiring mistakes
Hiring, even when you get it just right, can be an exceptionally costly process. Once you’ve factored in lost productivity, admin fees, recruitment fees, HR time and the amount of time and energy it takes to train someone, you can easily have spent tens of thousands of pounds.
Getting this wrong can end up being a lot more expensive. Senior leaders and line managers have to spend a lot of time managing underperformers, and it can bring down the productivity of the rest of the team. Not only this, but you’ll also have to look for and onboard a new candidate all over again.
Regulatory compliance
There are quite a few regulated industries where candidate screening isn’t just in your best own interest – it’s also a legal requirement. From financial services to healthcare, there are a lot of situations where you will have a legal responsibility to conduct standard and enhanced DBS checks via a company like Personnel Checks; failure to do so will not only endanger your business, but also leave you legally liable.
The rise of AI-powered fraud
With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, we’re also seeing a growing number of individuals use AI for fraudulent means, including when it comes to seeking employment. A lot of these frauds use incredibly advanced technologies, and can be very difficult to spot for even the most seasoned hiring managers and recruiters.
From falsified education documents to deepfake interviews, there are now a whole new range of potential threats that employers need to look out for, making enhanced candidate screening all the more important.
Keeping your company secure
Candidate screening is also one of the simplest and most effective ways you can go about preventing internal threats in your company. Your employees deserve to feel safe in the workplace, and you also don’t want to bring in any new hires who might be careless at best, wilfully negligent at worst.
Candidate screening allows you to gain a deeper insight into whether candidates really are who they say they are, providing more information for you to base your final decision on.
Clearly, candidate screening is something that all employers need to take seriously. You have a legal and practical responsibility to avoid bringing dangerous, potentially destructive individuals into your organisation, and it’s imperative that you use all the tools available to ensure that you take care of this.
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