Speed and Timing Among Big Takeaways from National Study on Background Checks

How are you measuring up to other employers when it comes to your background checks? A new report from HR.com, which was commissioned by the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA), may give you a glimpse inside 2018 trends. “How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage and Effectiveness of Background Screening Methods” highlights results from a survey of over 2,000 human resources professionals. The report goes to show that most employers conduct background checks in some way, shape, or form. The practice is generally accepted as universal, but what’s included and what’s the value?

Go to the full report and see how other employers view and value screening ››

Speed is the biggest challenge employers face

This comes as no surprise. Quality of a background report aside, getting those results to hit your inbox while a job offer is on the table is critical, and oftentimes, a critical challenge.

We’ve highlighted this concern in a few previous posts and observed many companies taking pro-active steps to speed up results and boost efficiency. We’ve also found that many employers don’t realize that they can put information they already have on file to good use and improve turnaround times. By providing more candidate information up front with background check orders, employers can begin to reduce delays in the hiring process.

A matter of timing … hiring cycle trends and employee rechecks

Some employers are taking a long-term approach to background screening, going beyond a pre-hire only process to screen throughout employment. The HR.com survey found that 24% of employers include recurring screening due to legal requirements or other causes separate from the hiring process.

The HR.com report observed nearly a quarter of employers conduct subsequent background checks on current employees. On top of that, a separate report from Verified Credentials has found that the trend of rescreening employees has been on the rise. According to the user report, we observed a 350% increase in the number of rechecks on current employees in the past 5 years.

When it comes to pre-employment screening, the report also found that more employers are waiting to conduct a background check AFTER a conditional job offer has been made. No matter when employers choose to screen during the hiring process, a simple and efficient process goes a long way toward supporting a positive candidate experience. After all, a convenient process can make a big difference of how fast you onboard ideal candidates and how often you rescreen current employees.

Common pieces of screening packages

Of the twelve types of background checks reviewed in this survey, the stand-out searches all involve criminal history. Over 80% of HR professionals surveyed report including criminal searches in screening packages. Essentially, nearly everybody is doing it.

Here are some of the most common searches HR professionals said were part of their screening packages:

• County/Statewide Criminal Searches
• National Criminal Database
• Social Security Number Trace

Not seeing these in your screening packages? Schedule a consultation to learn more about missing searches and sources ››

The survey addresses many other topics, including reasons why employers screen. To view the full report on “How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage and Effectiveness of Background Screening Methods,” click here.

Disclaimer: The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) commissioned HR.com to conduct a national survey of 2,137 human resources professionals to gauge their views on background screening. The results and observations in the survey report are based on the information obtained from the survey and do not represent opinions, best practices, or recommendations from Verified Credentials. You should consult with an attorney about any legal matters related to background screening.

NAPBS granted Verified Credentials permission to use information from the survey report on July 17, 2018.