Category Archives: Background Screening

AI, Background Screening, HR, HR News, News

Widespread Support for Utilising AI/Automation in the Background Screening Process

More than 9 out of 10 EMEA businesses would be comfortable with AI or automation being used by background screening providers for researching or compiling a screening report  

A leading provider of global employment background screening services, HireRight, has released the findings from its 17th annual benchmarking survey.

HireRight’s new and comprehensive report draws from the survey responses of more than 1,250 HR, risk, and talent acquisition professionals from organisations worldwide using employment background screening to help mitigate possible risks to their employees, customers, corporate reputation, and commercial success.

One of the key findings this year is the generally warm welcome from survey participants for the use of AI or automation for researching or compiling a background screening report. In fact, 83% of EMEA respondents said they would be comfortable with AI or automation being used to reduce the risk of human error and 79% were happy with its use if it helped speed up the screening process. Improving the candidate experience (64%) and cost savings (48%) were also among the top benefits that EMEA respondents said would warrant their usage.

 

Commenting on HireRight’s approach to the use of AI and automation, Marc Sharma, Director of Engineering, Applied Machine Learning at HireRight, said: “Given the sensitivity of the data HireRight handles, none of our planned process workflows can be considered a standalone AI system that automates employment decisions. Instead, we use a hybrid, and well-known, ‘Human in the Loop’ type system. The data from this survey appears to show that employers have an appreciation for the coupled human/machine hybrid handling of the security and efficiency of our internal processes and workflows, while maintaining the necessary human-only control.”

 

Essential Accuracy

One of the other key reasons respondents stated they would support the use of AI or automation by their screening provider in the screening process is to reduce the risk of human error and improve accuracy. And accuracy of results has climbed to the top of the priorities list for employers (72% in EMEA, up from 50% last year) when choosing a background screening provider, with speed (33%) and cost (35%) showing as less important to respondents than in HireRight’s 2023 survey.

When it comes to the specific candidate discrepancies employers are finding, again it varies around the world. In EMEA, it is inconsistencies found when verifying candidates’ employment history and education credentials that dominate. In contrast, in North America, undisclosed criminal convictions are the most common candidate discrepancies—identified by over double the percentage of EMEA respondents (40% in North America vs. 17% in EMEA).

 

The above is a brief snapshot from a much broader global report that dives into regional background screening, talent acquisition, and talent management trends from around the world. For more information and to download HireRight’s 2024 Global Benchmark Report, please visit www.hireright.com/benchmark2024.

 

 

Background Screening, News

SMEs must get ‘back to basics’ on recruitment checks in current climate

Research from global screening provider Vero shows only a fifth of background checks conducted by smaller employers this year included Criminal Record Checks

Small to medium sized businesses are being urged to get ‘back to basics’ when it comes to making background checks on their employees. This comes after research from Vero shows that only a fifth of those conducted by SMEs in 2022* included Criminal Record Checks.

In February this year, Vero launched a “pay as you go” screening service for smaller businesses to help make low volume background checks a reality for SMEs.

Since launching this service, known as Vero/Go, it has found just 22% of its customers have used it to conduct Criminal Record Checks – 17% as part of the BS7858 check for all employees working in a secure environment, and 5% as standalone requests.

The most commonly requested type of check through Vero/Go overall has been for the Financial and Professional Services sector – suggesting that it’s still only SMEs operating in conventionally highly regulated areas that are using pre-employment screening as a protective business strategy.

Virginia McFarlane-Watts

Virginia McFarlane-Watts, Head of Business Development at Vero, says the findings indicate that UK SMEs could be more at risk of in-house criminality than their corporate counterparts, which is particularly concerning in the current climate.

Virginia explained: “If the figures from Vero/Go are anything to go by, it’s a concern for SMEs who aren’t making those necessary background checks, as they’re leaving themselves vulnerable should the worst happen. We know from previous research that 40% of businesses say criminal checks are more of a priority to them than ever**, but these latest figures show us that it’s likely just over half that amount are being made on employees in the SME sector.”

“To add to this, virtually none of the background checks that we have provided to smaller organisations accessing our Vero/Go range of ‘pay as you go’ products since it was introduced have included Right to Work Checks either.”

“This means operationally and reputationally speaking, UK SMEs are potentially exposing themselves to greater levels of risk than their corporate counterparts in an economic climate which, by their very nature, is already a far more treacherous place for smaller businesses,” Virginia added.

In the UK, 64% of businesses have experienced fraud, corruption or other economic/financial crime within the past 24 months, according to PwC*** – a substantial increase compared to 56% in 2020, higher than the global rate of 46%, and second only to the rates seen in South Africa.

Routine background screening of prospective and existing employees is one way businesses can ensure they are investing in the right resources and effective fraud-fighting measures to help combat the risks involved.

With this in mind, Vero has come up with a ‘how to’ checklist to help smaller businesses that may be new to background screening get started, which includes:

  • Considering the benefits to your business – which checks are most relevant to the protection of your customers, service users and others relevant to your line of work?
  • Looking at the kind of checks available – as a small business owner, consider who in the organisation needs screening, and what they need screening for.
  • Exploring the checks which are right for you – which roles would you consider ‘high risk’ and which ones are ‘low risk’? Who needs checking for what?

Vero/Go meanwhile also enables UK businesses of all sizes and from all backgrounds to screen new or existing staff, in low, medium and high-risk roles, quickly and with greater confidence.

The new self-service background checking platform has been individually packaged for financial, legal and professional services, and developed in line with BS7858, BPSS and general screening requirements too.

Virginia said: “These are the kind of industry statistics, coupled with our own, that have led to us calling on all UK SMEs to get ‘back to basics’ when it comes to checking up on the background activity of their employees, and ensure their past experience and qualifications are truly genuine.”

“It’s also why we introduced Vero/Go earlier this year as a way of supporting smaller scale employers to onboard their new employees and conduct employment screenings as effortlessly and quickly as possible, no matter their business size or sector.”

To find out more visit verogo.co.uk

 

—

Sources

*The number of SMEs conducting employee checks through Vero/Go since February 2022.

**According to Vero’s whitepaper ‘The Changing Face of Background Screening’ at www.veroscreening.com/research.

***https://www.pwc.co.uk/services/forensic-services/insights/global-economic-crime-survey-2022-uk-findings.html

Background Screening, Christmas, News

Festive hires – what should your business be looking out for in temporary staff this Christmas?

As employers search for staff earlier than ever this year, Vero Screening urges businesses to seek out proper onboarding checks and avoid unnecessary risk

Temporary work job searches containing the word ‘Christmas’ were 244% higher going into October compared to the same time last year, according to recruiter Indeed Flex*.

The increase shows that employers have started the recruitment process for seasonal staff earlier than usual this year as businesses UK-wide prepare for their first ‘normal’ Christmas in three years thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vero Screening, a leading European employment screening provider, says the shift in seasonal hiring this year should first and foremost serve to remind employers of the mass increase in gig workers arising from the pandemic, and the risks posed to those most vulnerable back then too.

So what should you be looking out for in temporary staff this Christmas – and what are the risks to your business in hiring with haste, in what looks set to be a more fraught festive season than usual in 2022?

Virginia McFarlane-Watts, Head of Business Development at Vero, explains: “Gig workers often come into contact with those who are vulnerable – children, the elderly, or those who are housebound. They’ll usually work independently, receiving less oversight than a typical employee who is based in an office, for example, maybe making deliveries or meeting the general public as part of a festively themed service offering.”

“This in turn requires a higher level of trust from both service users and employers, and is something which is very true of the Christmas period. Delivery drivers were in high demand during the pandemic just as they are during the festive season, for example, meaning ample hiring practices are required to ensure that the risk to your business, its people – and most importantly your customers – are minimised this Christmas.”

To help HR practitioners, business leaders and other professionals responsible for hiring temporary staff this Christmas, background check experts at Vero have therefore identified the following as fundamental typical checks to make on seasonal and gig workers:

  • Criminal record checks
  • Driver licence checks
  • Employment verification
  • Education verification
  • Right to work checks

Virginia said: “When hiring temporary employees, it’s important to be reminded of the higher turnover rates that are typically involved – they may be looking to use it as a stepping stone to more permanent employment, or simply be viewing their opportunity with you as a ‘stop gap’ until something better comes along. As a result, the process of onboarding temporary workers can be all too swift so that employment can commence as quickly as possible.”

“But it’s important for anyone looking to hire temporary staff this Christmas to remember that, although they may not sit within your business for long, their actions could leave a lasting, and ultimately costly, impact. In our experience, these are the checks which can act as an additional verification of the background and trustworthiness of the gig worker, therefore.”

Vero Screening is a market-leading screening provider with global reach and, as an Accurate Background Inc company, is the largest UK-based independent supplier of outsourced screening services, providing expert knowledge and world-class employment screening services for clients in 200+ countries.

For more information on Vero Screening and its services visit www.verscreening.com

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*According to this article: https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/employment/christmas-seasonal-vacancies-temps-triple-last-year/

Background Screening, News

Employers prioritise criminal record checks over any other screening service since Covid-19

Businesses say screening for criminal activity has become more important to them than any other kind of employee background check in the post-pandemic world

A new study from Vero Screening has revealed that criminal record checks have seen the greatest increase in importance among UK employers than any other kind of employee screening service since the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the study, which interviewed more than 250 businesses, more than a third (41%) of companies say screening for criminal activity whilst making background checks on their employees has become much more important to them in the post-pandemic world than it was before.

The findings have been released in Vero’s new whitepaper, entitled ‘The Changing Face of Background Screening’, which looks into the issues and challenges businesses are facing when it comes to the recruitment and retention of new skills in the post-pandemic world.

The global screening services provider asked organisations from across the UK and Europe about their attitudes towards, and current levels of engagement in, pre-employment screening practices. It found that criminal background checks were deemed to be the most important kind of pre-employment check to employers, closely followed by ID document verification and education verification following Covid-19.

Only 28% felt that social media checks, drivers licence checks and gap analysis were important in the current climate, although a clear majority of businesses (81%) did agree that the candidate/employee experience of the screening process was also becoming more important.

Rupert Emson, CEO at Vero, said: “It’s not a great surprise that businesses are feeling the pressure to use increasingly effective employment screening practices in a world where, thanks to the effects of Covid-19, the hiring of staff to work remotely from all corners of the world is becoming ever more commonplace.”

“What is interesting, however, is that the majority of employers are still primarily concerned with the criminal past of the people they are seeking to hire when, the reality is, we’ve come a long way from the standard ‘DBS’ check that many still conventionally associate with the kind of work organisations like Vero do.”

“At its simplest, employment screening is the process of determining whether or not an individual is suitable for a given role, and today this can mean making sure a person’s previous activity regarding social media, their finances, professional qualifications, driving record and much more stands up too,” Rupert added.

“So, while it’s heartening for those of us working hard to support employers in making effective hiring decisions to hear that they are recognising the importance of employment screening more than ever, it’s also a bit concerning that it is still being rolled out with a candidate’s criminal involvement primarily in mind.”

Vero, an Accurate Background Inc company, is a market-leading screening provider with a global reach, offering an innovative, service-orientated and user-friendly approach to compliance, human resources, digital technology and more.

Its newly released whitepaper has also seen businesses admit the pandemic has made background checks on potential and existing employees in general more crucial than ever, with three quarters of those questioned in agreement. Key findings from the research also showed that, despite this, only 3 in 5 businesses are routinely screening 75% or more of their existing workforce and/or suppliers.

“What we’re seeing is that, while the pandemic has led businesses to appreciate the importance of making checks on prospective and existing employees to a much greater degree, a large majority are still not putting these observations into practice,” Rupert added.

“So, what we need to do now, is support those businesses in properly understanding the full scope of what can be done to ensure the checks they are making fit with the sector and locations they are working in too.”

 

Vero’s new whitepaper ‘The Changing Face of Background Screening’ is available to download at www.veroscreening.com/research.

Background Screening, HR, News

Employment screening: Why the pandemic means we’re way past a DBS check.

How are we meant to get to know our new employees in the post pandemic world of business? The rise in home working and onboarding people remotely makes thorough pre-employment research more crucial than ever. So, what fundamentals should every HR professional be adding, or have already added, to their onboarding checklist in 2022?  Georgina Wilson, Strategy and Planning Director at Vero Screening, outlines the basics.

For nearly two years, HR managers have been faced with exceptional circumstances. Working from home has become the norm for many, whether full-time homeworking, hybrid or ad hoc, and it doesn’t look to be going away any time soon.

According to research, 55% of businesses now offer some capacity for remote working, and international hiring has also become an everyday reality for many. Add to this a gig economy which has doubled in size since 2016 alongside record-highs for starting salaries, and what comes out is a highly competitive candidate marketplace sector wide.

Home working also means that, for many, 2021 meant making hiring decisions without physically meeting candidates. But with a bad mid-management hire estimated to cost a company up to  £130k, how many of us are now reviewing our 2021 hires and their effect on the bottom line in 2022? On the flip side, what’s worked well about onboarding those new hires remotely and which kinds of roles lend themselves to similar models for recruitment in future?

The workforce has also been empowered by ongoing rises in the gig economy, as well as an unprecedented increase in starting salaries due to skills shortages across the board. And if your organisation has expanded into the international market during the pandemic, which so many have, you might be thinking about recruiting outside your home market for the first time too.

Put together, all this means HR professionals need to be moving beyond the standard DBS check required for new employees, if they haven’t already.

Take the gig economy. Uber drivers, Amazon drivers and the like now make up 10% of the UK workforce as short-term roles which need filling at a moment’s notice, and the onus is very much on those doing the hiring to ensure the safety of service users and existing employees in the process.

But how do you gauge the potential fit of a candidate if you’ve never met them in person, and without the usual channels of knowledge available to you? Are the checks you make in 2022 capable of reaching across pre-employment, social media, senior management and international backgrounds, for example?

If you’re hiring internationally more often, or perhaps for the first time, do you know what the regulations and laws are locally, regarding the candidate concerned? Each one will come with their own set of expectations and rights, based on the culture and nationality they’re most closely aligned to. For example, in some countries it’s not permitted for a third-party to conduct a criminal record check. Instead, the check has to be conducted by the individual.

Given the new the trend towards geographically dispersed teams and workplaces, can you be confident you’re in a position to make informed decisions based on reliable results and access to global databases and other resources? Are you able to confirm your candidate has the skills and experience required of the position you’re looking to fill? Can you achieve international consistency when it comes to hiring abroad?

In short, if you don’t currently have screening and other HR functions in place to address these issues, then 2022 is definitely the time to start. We’ve all spent the last two years flexing and adapting to an unprecedented rate of change, and keeping the wheels of our businesses turning. What we need to do now is take those lessons learned and put them to even better use, as we look to emerge from the pandemic. Not least to help reduce the risks associated with a bad hire at a time when, arguably, those risks have never been greater.

Background Screening, News, Recruitment

Technology-led UK Right to Work Identity Document Verifications Redefine Employer and Candidate Experience During the Hiring Process

Sterling—a leading provider of background and identity services—is expanding the global Sterling Identity suite of services and has launched a new UK Right to Work Identity Verification solution that uses facial recognition and fraud detection technology to accurately verify an individual’s right to work status.

According to Cifas – the UK’s leading fraud prevention service – there have been consistent increases in identity fraud over the last four years which means that the potential fines that businesses could face by failing to properly verify an individual’s Right to Work status is becoming a growing concern for employers. With in-person checks now also becoming a challenge due to social distancing rules, as well as an increase in remote working, Sterling is proud to provide an easy-to-use service leveraging technology that enables fast and accurate remote Right to Work ID verifications.

Using this new functionality, candidates follow a guided journey, which will invite them to use their smart phones to capture photos of relevant ID documents, along with a selfie image. The combination of facial recognition and fraud detection technology can accurately determine document authenticity, while the AI software examines the image to verify if it is a ‘live’ photo and matches this against the ID submitted. The results are then instantly available and accessible for final in-person checks, streamlining the verification process. As a full-service provider, Sterling is able to deliver this as either a standalone service or as part of a wider, more comprehensive background check program.

Steve Smith, Managing Director EMEA at Sterling, commented: “Modern hiring starts with identity verification and with every company in the UK legally required to carry out Right to Work checks, the accuracy of verifications is essential. With identity fraud arguably becoming much more refined, the tools to verify workers should be equally sophisticated. This combination of artificial intelligence, facial recognition software, and fraud detection technology makes the Right to Work process more accurate by removing the full reliance on human verification and, perhaps more importantly, enables the process to begin remotely, with results immediately available to the employer. With more businesses re-opening and beginning hiring, having access to fast ID verification solutions that enable a better and more efficient experience for employers and candidates alike, will be crucial to getting the UK back on track as we continue navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic.”

To learn more visit: https://www.sterlingcheck.co.uk/services/right-to-work-verification/

Background Screening, HR News, News

Reducing the Risk of Bad Hires – 2020 Background Screening Insights for SMEs

Written by Peter Cleverton, General Manager, EMEA at HireRight

Everyone can appreciate the potential negative cost of a ‘bad hire’, in both financial and reputational terms. Background screening is utilised by businesses of all sizes around the world, but how do screening habits vary between SMEs and enterprise-sized businesses? For example, nearly 30% more enterprises than SMEs check their candidates’ education credentials pre-hire and they are almost twice as likely to find discrepancies. This short  article from the world’s leading background screening provider is based on recent international research into these key differentiators and offer some tips and recommendations that fast growing SMEs can draw on when it comes to ensuring more consistent safety and security, improved regulatory compliance and, ultimately, a better quality of hire.

Attitudes toward background screening vary widely around the world. In the US, most candidates expect to be screened before starting a new job, no matter which industry they work in. In the UK, those outside of finance, healthcare and technology may have never been screened in their entire career. In other countries in Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific, most people may not have even heard of pre-employment background screening.

It will not be surprising then, that screening practices vary from region to region. For example, the US transportation sector relies heavily on drug and alcohol screening and motor vehicle record checks, both of which are uncommon outside of North America.

What may be surprising though is that there are many clear differences globally between the screening habits of enterprise-sized business (those with over 500 employees) and small/medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with under 500 employees.

HireRight’s 2020 Benchmark Survey was conducted from March-April this year and asked thousands of people professionals around the world about their companies’ background screening and recruitment activity in the last 12 months. Here’s a few takeaways from the preliminary findings which showcase some key differences and similarities between background screening in enterprises and SMEs.

 

Education checks are far more common in global enterprises than global SMEs

A worrying 61% of SMEs may be leaving themselves open to additional employment risk by not checking their candidates’ education details. The information provided by candidates (such as institution names, study dates, course titles and grades attained) could be inaccurate, or even completely made up. With companies of all sizes being caught out by candidates misrepresenting themselves on their CVs or application forms, this could be leaving smaller businesses vulnerable during the recruitment process. In comparison, just 32% of global enterprises are not checking their candidates’ education history. However, the top four checks conducted by businesses of all sizes globally are consistent: criminal, previous employment, identity and education.

 

SMEs are less likely to screen their non-employee workers

Almost twice as many SMEs don’t screen their extended workforce compared to global enterprises. For both enterprises and SMEs, the most commonly screened non-employees are temporary workers and independent contractors, but in both cases enterprise-sized businesses were more likely to be screening them. Our survey also found that a quarter of SMEs don’t have any non-employee workers (e.g. temporary workers, independent contractors, interns or volunteers), compared to just 7% of enterprise-sized businesses who said the same. It seems that SMEs are not only less likely to have an extended workforce but are also less likely to screen them when they do.

 

Global enterprises are more likely to discover candidate discrepancies

Fewer global SMEs have found discrepancies in the information provided by their candidates. However, there could be many reasons for this, including the depth of screening undertaken and the number of candidates screened per year.

With global enterprises far more likely to conduct education checks than SMEs (68% of enterprises check their candidates’ education history compared to 39% of SMEs), are they finding more discrepancies because they are conducting a higher volume of checks, or are they conducting more checks because they keep finding discrepancies?

 

Both SMEs and enterprises attribute a better quality of hire to background screening

Global SMEs and global enterprises both identified an improved quality of hire as the top benefit of background screening (58% and 55% respectively agreed).  Other top benefits seen were more consistent safety and security, improved regulatory compliance, and improved company reputation.

You can find out more about the similarities and differences between background screening for SMEs and enterprises here. Additional infographics covering EMEA, US and Canada, APAC, India and global businesses (all sizes) are also available.

Background Screening, EU, News

Sterling pushes forward with European expansion

With a growing demand for local language capability as part of a global background check experience, Sterling, the leader in employee screening services, is expanding its international operations by opening a European base in Wroclaw, Poland.

While initial plans to open a physical office were delayed by COVID-19, Sterling remained resilient and hired its first employees in Poland virtually in mid-May. Since then, the business has successfully onboarded and trained all new starters to be fully operational despite the challenges posed by COVID-19.

The company’s decision to open an office in Poland was conceived as a result of extensive analysis, as well as discussions with clients where fulfilment in local languages was in high demand. This prompted Sterling to conduct a search to identify a base for a European office that could serve a multitude of markets.

After whittling down locations, Sterling selected Wroclaw, Poland, due to the country ranking highly for several criteria, with easy transport links from its UK headquarters in Swansea, and the vast array of linguistic skills available in the country. The Poland team are already serving customers and is set to quickly scale from five to 40 staff, serving 13 languages in Europe.

Steve Smith, MD of Sterling, commented on the move, stating:

“Last summer, we conducted a client advisory board meeting where businesses shared what their perception of a truly multi-lingual experience looked like. While there are great levels of language fulfilment in areas such as form-filling software, truly regional local language capabilities are far rarer. We’ve had multilingual proficiencies from our HQ in Swansea – but this move will allow our approach to flourish.”

“We are delighted with how well we have been able to get operations up-and-running in the midst of a chaotic last couple of months. All of our staff in Wroclaw are now fully operational and serving our clients, saving them time, money, and providing a more complete, holistic experience for anyone screened in these regions.”

Kate Ellis, VP EMEA Operations at Sterling, commented:

“The increasing globalised nature of business and society at large calls for a far more tailored approach when conducting crucial business processes like background checks – perhaps even more so with the rise in remote, fluid workforces that has been accelerated by recent events.”

“By ensuring there is local language expertise on the ground in Poland, Sterling will be able to take its customer fulfilment to the next level – and ultimately reduce risk for clients and candidates. We are delighted with our results so far and the speed with which staff have been trained and onboarded during COVID-19.”

“From our company analysis of our Swansea operation and business in Asia, local language capability has been shown time and again to have vastly better results. Going forward, we will also be able to offer great opportunities to our internal staff, and continue to hone our expertise. I’m truly looking forward to developing our operations further in Wroclaw to better serve our customers.”

Background Screening, HR News

Sterling highlights need for robust background screening in light of increased employee fraud

Leading global background screening provider, Sterling, urges businesses to take background screening more seriously in light of a slew of recent incidents in the healthcare sector where employees spent a number of years in situ after falsifying qualifications.

With a former NHS boss in Oxford receiving a suspended prison sentence after claiming a false university degree, and a senior radiologist lying about being a qualified GP – the company has highlighted the need for healthcare providers to have stronger screening processes, and stressed that these incidents can be better prevented with the right checks and balance.

However, this is not just limited to healthcare. According to a YouGov survey, 40% of respondents admitted to having lied about their education or qualifications. Meanwhile, research by HEDD (Higher Education Degree Datacheck) revealed that only 20% of employers perform proper checks on applicants’ qualifications.

Commenting on the rise in figures, Steve Smith, Managing Director EMEA of Sterling stated:

“Unfortunately, this kind of fraud is not uncommon. With an explosion of ‘diploma mills’, where fake qualifications can be easily obtained – dishonesty is becoming easier than ever. As these methods become more sophisticated, the need for robust screening processes is crucial.”

“This is even more relevant in sectors like healthcare, where fraud could have a direct impact on the safety of members of the public. While in these recently identified cases, the perpetrators were caught – without reviewing vetting protocol, there remains a risk that others could fall through the net. Fortunately, with the right screening processes, these incidents would have been preventable. Education verification, among other, more common checks such as criminal record screening can shed light on candidates to ensure that businesses limit the risk of a bad hire.”

Background Screening, Recruitment

Businesses turning to HR outsourcing in light of compliance complexity, survey reveals

The increasing complexity surrounding recruitment compliance, right to work checks and background screening has driven businesses to employ external experts to limit the risks to their organisation, according to a survey by one of the leading suppliers of background and identity services, Sterling.

HR cannot afford to have any gaps in HR communications which could lead to unchecked employees being accidentally recruited.

In research undertaken during its webinar, “The Why, When and How of Outsourcing”, the firm found that 89% of respondents felt that compliance surrounding background checks is now more complex than it has ever been. This has led to an uptick in the use of third-party experts to reduce the risks associated with hiring, with over half (56%) of those surveyed admitting to outsourcing recruitment. A further 44% revealed they use an external partner for background screening.

According to Sterling, businesses need to be wary of getting ‘lost’ in compliance and ensure they have the steps in place to mitigate potential risks.

Steve Smith, Managing Director EMEA at Sterling, explained:

“The introduction of the likes of GDPR and tightening of compliance belts in the last few years has put so much pressure on HR teams to rethink the use of data, it’s perhaps unsurprising that so many respondents felt that background checks – which can be hugely data driven – have become more complex.

Indeed, it is only natural that as the screening industry matures, complexity has increased – and it will only continue to do so. However, given the increasing scrutiny facing employers today, it’s important that businesses don’t allow themselves to be overly daunted by compliance, but instead look at what is absolutely necessary and what can – or even should – be delivered by an external expert.

“There are more component parts in a background check today. The admin burden internally has drastically increased, driving much of this need to outsource that we’ve noted. In fact, as we found in our compliance trends report, time is one of the biggest factors for European businesses when looking at why they should outsource.”

Ian Williams, Director at HR Consulting, who participated in the webinar, added:

“You’d expect that most organisations have access to recruitment agencies or third-party suppliers for candidate attraction.

“What is interesting is the number of those outsourcing background screening which is perhaps higher than I’d expected, though I certainly predict that these figures will increase in the near future. As the global business and employment landscapes continue to evolve, having the right outsourced partnerships in place will be crucial to success.

“However, it’s important to remember that this process isn’t a one-way thing. Businesses need to ensure they are regularly reviewing how well things are going with an outsourced supplier and asking what more can be done together to improve the process.”