Top 3 Background Screening Trends for Staffing Firms

The success of your staffing firm depends on the quality of the employees they hire, mainly because the labor your employees provide is your product. And according to the American Staffing Association, the industry does a lot of hiring,  close to 17 million temporary and contract employees each year in the United States. That’s a lot of people to screen.

What adds to that screening challenge is the wide variety of job types staffing companies fill. Manufacturing jobs. Office jobs. Technical jobs. Jobs that require special skills and licenses. With such a vast range of qualification and skill requirements, staffing companies must take a unique approach to their background screening strategy. Research shows tactical trends in the staffing industry include:

• Strategically stacking screening sources
• Implementing a package structure for easy management
• Using a two-phased approach to ensure candidate fit

Searching far and wide to place right-fit candidates

Professionals in the staffing industry seem to understand the value of combining criminal record sources to catch potential records from slipping through cracks. Searching a candidate’s past for criminal records doesn’t stop at one or two searches for most staffing agencies. We see nearly all firms searching Country Criminal History and a National Criminal Database. Add to that, 9 out of 10 also include the following searches as well: a Statewide Criminal History Search, a Federal Criminal History Search, and a National Sex Offender Registry Search.

The result of combining criminal sources is a more robust view of a candidate’s history, so staffing companies can feel confident they are sending their clients a good match for the position. Just think, individual organizations have their own liability concerns to worry about. Many times, that is plenty complex! Staffing firms have the brunt of many contracts, all defining background check terms to help avoid hiring unfit candidates. Conducting a wide-ranging background check could help staffing firms avoid negligent hiring lawsuits for themselves and their clients.

But staffing firms typically don’t stop at criminal records. They are among the highest users of professional verifications, including academic history information and reference checks. With such a large volume of candidates to move through the screening process, staffing firms understand that outsourcing references prove to be the more time-saving option rather than completing them in-house.

Simplifying account management with screening packages

Managing the full range of screening requirements between various clients could be an obstacle for staffing companies. Three out of four staffing companies funnel the unique screening requirements of each client into organizing packages for easier management. In most of these cases, staffing agencies set-up individual screening packages or sub-accounts for each of their clients. Sometimes, they itemize background checks and assign the client’s name as the package identifier.

So, say you need to complete a background check for Client Company A. No check boxes. No radio buttons. No piecing together the requirements for that client and open positions. Simply select a package “Company A – Accounting” to populates the appropriate products. When pre-determined packages are set up, anyone can place the order with confidence that the correct background checks are conducted.

Segmenting packages also makes it easy to manage accounting logistics, like billing. When background check orders are labeled by packages, it easy to identify which client to bill for each background check completed.

You may think going beyond default account set-up could be costly or time-consuming. Or that you could face limits on how many background check packages can be configured. At Verified Credentials, there are no limits on the number of packages our clients use. Some companies even have 20 or more packages added. We make customizing account settings, preferences and packages easy during account set up and when you onboard new clients.

Dual-phased screening for smart hiring and placement

One tactic unique to the staffing industry is a two-pronged background check approach. Staffing companies may have a basic initial background check during the initial hiring process. Then candidates may be required to undergo a more intensive background check when assigned to roles for specific clients.

This approach gives some staffing firms the information they need to know upfront. Is the candidate a good fit for any client on behalf of your firm? That’s what the first phase check may answer. Many staffing firms have a basic screening package in place, perhaps including criminal history checks only, potentially used for this purpose. Then before placement with one of the firm’s clients, the background check expands to include client-driven, role-specific requirements.

The hiring demands of the staffing industry require unique background screening workflows and agility to meet the high-turnover hiring schedules of their clients. But even with high volumes, the staffing industry trends toward robust background check packages with some of the highest usage numbers across background checks and verifications. The background check programs developed by these organizations help lead them to success. Through thorough background screening and smart account set-up, staffing firms may position themselves to hire candidate that meet the quality level their clients expect.

Ready to screen like a staffing company? Schedule a consultation to learn about how a more robust strategy can get you in line with their trends.