You’ve sat through the hiring kickoff, written the job description, and scheduled the interviews. And after a long process, lots of back and forth with the candidate, and a scramble to get the contract together, you’ve done it — your candidate has signed on the dotted line.
But you’re still not done.
Background checks are like the dentist visits of talent acquisition — not always the most fun, but very necessary. (And if you skip them, there’s a good chance you’ll be sorry at some point down the road.)
The benefits of background checks are obvious: Not only do they help you build confidence in the hire you just made, but they also protect your company and employees. If you’re in a regulated industry like healthcare, finance, or education, they’re even more important.
When you run a background check, you’re verifying that a person is who they say they are and they have the right experience for the role, without any disqualifying factors. To make it even more complicated, the extent and depth of a background check varies globally and you must comply with all legal requirements in the local region.
At Zinc, all we do is find ways to make the background checking process easier for you and less of a hassle for candidates. That’s why we’ve put together a guide with everything you need to know about putting together a pain-free, accurate background checking process.
Preparing for background checks
How do I put together a background checking policy?
A clear and effective background checking policy is your secret weapon to set your team up for success. Here’s how to build your own:
1. Define the scope: Get specific about which roles and job levels require background checks, and tailor your checks to specific job requirements. Pre-employment checks are important, but don’t forget about re-screening policies for certain roles.
2. Identify the relevant checks: Every role is different, even in the same industry. Make a list of the checks that you’re required to conduct by law, and layer on ones that align with your company’s policies. This can include criminal history, employment history, educational background, and credit history.
3. Stay on the right side of the law: If you’re running background checks, there are two key compliance requirements that you need to know about:
- The 2010 Equality Act: Make sure your background checking policy doesn’t discriminate against candidates based on protected characteristics like race, gender, religion, or disability.
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Use the requirement to safeguard candidates’ personal information and get their consent for processing background checks.
Obtaining consent and disclosure (as in, get permission and tell candidates what you’re doing)
You’ve got a policy freshly written, and it’s been approved. But how do you get people to follow it?
- Train your HR team well. Your team is the first line of defence when it comes to the nuances of your policy and the importance of confidentiality.
- Tell candidates. Communicate the policy clearly, and provide them with an opportunity to address potential discrepancies in the report.
- Keep it secret, keep it safe. Make sure candidate information stays confidential. Only run the checks you need, and limit the results to only those involved in the decision-making process.
- Make it easy to find. Present the policy on background checks in your employee handbook and on your company’s intranet or documentation systems for easy access.
- Explain why to your employees. Run interactive training sessions to let employees know about the significance of the policy, and address any questions they might have.
Remember, a well-crafted background-checking policy is your best ally in building a safer and more reliable workforce.
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How to choose a background checking provider
The big question: Should we keep our background checking in-house or use a third-party provider?
Obviously we’re a little biased at Zinc. But we put together a comprehensive checklist of all the questions you need to ask when you’re making a decision, including:
- What are their compliance and security credentials?
- Will it save me time?
- Does it offer everything I need?
- How will it impact candidate experience?
Which employee background checks do I need?
Once you’ve chosen a background check provider, you need to decide which checks you’re going to run — and there are an awful lot to choose from.
We’ve broken down all the checks you might need, including why you’d run them and what industries they’re the most common in.
What to do with your check results
If you get check results back with a flag, it can be tricky to know the best way to proceed.
Our guide breaks down the questions you need to ask depending on what’s been flagged, including:
- How to keep the data confidential
- The importance of leading with empathy
- The different types of flags that might come up in a background check.
Plus, we’ve put together a handy flowchart to help you make decisions faster (because that’s what we’re all about). Learn more here.
Final thoughts on background checks
It’s hard to overstate the importance of conducting accurate employee background checks.
It doesn’t just protect you — it helps your business hire with confidence and make informed decisions, so you can build a team you trust.
Putting a process in place proves that you’re committed to giving every candidate a fair chance and the best candidate experience possible.
Wondering how to level up your background checks? Zinc is here to help make the process instant, easy, and even delightful. Get in touch with our team today to learn more.
