While the COVID-19 pandemic startled every industry and even restricted their operations, most sectors are adapted to the new conditions to regain their stature. The majority are still functioning remotely. This has changed the entire hiring portfolio, ensuing confusion for businesses.
Hiring competent employees is always crucial, and so is verifying their backgrounds. The best way to execute both is by running a pre-employment background check. But with physical movements being restricted during the pandemic, companies are forced to formulate new methods.
Even under the recurring scenario, no business should hire without employees without apt verification. But what can be done to maintain a safe hiring process with minimal future risks?
Here are some steps and details every hiring manager should go through to get ample knowledge during this challenging time.
Employee Verification during Pandemic:
Are there any Changes? Should Businesses Still Run It?
Despite the ongoing pandemic, companies are required to perform a pre-employment background check on applicants. Employers are held responsible if their employees harm a client, patient, or co-worker. Screening a candidate can identify signs of how an employee can be a threat.
Hiring someone without verification is deemed negligent hiring. It can result in the employer experiencing claims and lawsuits.
Despite the pandemic, industries like food, transportation, and healthcare are still hiring employees. The guidelines for hiring have not changed for the sectors since the employees are working in crunch situations. A mishap results in severe losses, so employers need to implement secure hiring practices.
Now that you understand the consequences of bad hiring, let’s understand how it can be avoided.
Tips to Run Secure Pre-Employment Verification During Pandemic
Keep Up with Latest News
The ongoing crisis has led to crucial guidelines modification in quick succession. Thus, it is pivotal for businesses to keep track of every new standard for hiring and screening. Authorities have opened various portals for every industry where every new guideline change is posted.
Businesses must keep an eye on every relevant piece of information to make well-educated hiring decisions.
Try Out No-Commitment Contracts
Background and verification checks are unavoidable, but running thorough screenings is not always a viable option. Some businesses cannot afford the process currently, while some are unable to find any leads. To cope with the situation, some firms are offering the option to enter no-commitment contracts.
The contracts are flexible and can adjust their screening process to match every business’s needs. Companies should avail of these arrangements due to their cost-effectiveness and efficiency under current market settings.
Use Your Industry Connections
Every business potent enough to survive the pandemic possesses valuable market connections. Use those connections to gain useful resources. Reach out to your partners, associates, suppliers to find collaboration opportunities. Gain market knowledge and equip useful market practices.
Developing and strengthening a network provides best market practices for both the short and long term.
Hire Remote Employees
The tip is obvious, your business might already be implementing it, but it needs to be mentioned. Remote hiring and onboarding take care of the health of both the candidate and employees. Leverage helpful techs and enhance your existing infrastructure to accommodate the system.
Even with the work-from-home system, businesses are recommended to follow the standard screening process. Be it a criminal record, employment history, license confirmation, or reference checks, keep the system functioning. One little tip businesses can employ is to keep the screening surface level for unnecessary prospects.
For example, garnering the surface-level driving history of a candidate applying for the social media manager is apt. There is no need to spend resources and dig extensive records for such prospects.
Additionally, keep the state-regulated guidelines in mind while conducting the screening. The pandemic does not overrule the standard 7-year criminal record limitation on employees.
Risks of Remote Employees and What Happens after they join the Company
Since remote hiring has become a necessity for employers, the chances of security breaches and data leaks have proliferated. Businesses are even hiring remote employees for permanent positions.
Conducting a physical face-to-face interview is out of the equation, making background screening even more crucial. Employers need to allot sensible data to people they have never seen or met before. Due to the sheer prominence hiring holds, businesses are suggested to reach out to conduct their screening processes.
We specialize in the field, thus, offering cost-efficient and secure services. But what happens once the pandemic is over and the remote employees join the organisation. Do you need to repeat the pre-employment background check?
Generally, any employee absent from work for over a month needs to undergo the rehiring procedure. Going by that logic, businesses might need to re-conduct the entire screening process. It bodes well with the employment guidelines, allowing businesses to stay on the safe side.
In Conclusion
Conducting employment background and verification checks is crucial to hire competent and sound personnel for your business. However, the practice has become even more critical due to the ongoing pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected several aspects of hiring and screening guidelines, while some have remained the same.
The blog sheds some light on the topic and offers viable information for users. Go through it and understand how your businesses can maintain optimal efficiency with a secure and efficient screening process.
