The Most Suitable Stage For Employee Background Check

By Author: Naman Vohra
Total Articles: 133
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Not many realize that background screening should ideally be an omnipresent function in the recruitment and post-recruitment process. Background screening finds its place at every stage, starting from the stage where a candidate is shortlisted to the stage where a new recruit is brought on the floor.

Broadly, there are four stages- pre offer stage, offer acceptance stage, induction stage and work commencement stage.

During the pre-offer stage, a candidate is selected and the company's HR department is just one step away from extending the employment offer. This is a crucial period as a recruiting decision involves a commitment from the employer's end to a fixed monetary outflow. Hence, it is imperative that make an informed decision. An informed decision can be taken mainly on the basis of true facts.

This is the time when an elaborate employee background verification needs to be conducted. Basic background verification process would generally involve checks for details like previous, current and permanent addresses, employment history, professional references and education qualifications. On the other hand, ...
... an elaborate employee background verification may include additional checks like criminal record check, Indian regulatory authority & credit and integrity databases check, credit history check, or drug abuse check.

There can be times when company decides to provide employment offer to the selected candidate before carrying out the verification process. This may be due to the reason that time lag of few days, between extending the offer letter and receipt of offer acceptance from the candidate, can be utilized by verifying the candidate in the mean time.

Some companies may prefer to conduct employee background verification once the candidate is on-board and absorbed in induction process. Or, candidates can be verified once the employee has already joined the workforce on the floor. Both the scenarios provide for ample time for a smooth and an in-depth verification.

Among all the levels, pre-offer stage in one stage which can utilize the verification tool most optimally. This is because verification at this point can help save a company for making a bad hiring decision. And consequently, the company would also be saved from incurring a higher cost on that candidate in the form of salary.

However, it is definitely upon the requirements and conveniences of a company based on which it needs to decide on when it wants the verification process to be carried out. No matter at what stage it is conducted, employee background verification will always serve the purpose of finding out the truth behind what a candidate has stated and claimed.

~Naman is associated with a leading background screening company that specializes in Employee Background screening