You’ve done it! The candidate has signed on the dotted line, the onboarding docs are being prepared, and the background check results have just arrived back in your inbox.
Interpreting employee background checks is an incredibly sensitive and important part of HR and Talent’s role in any company. Everyone keeps their fingers crossed for no complications, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
Want to know more about UK background checks, including which ones to run and whether or not an in-house team is worth it? Check out our complete guide to background checks.
Keeping background check results safe
No matter what comes back from the checks you ordered, it’s always sensitive personal information — and you need to treat it as such.
There are three key steps to keeping candidate data confidential:
- Don’t ask for more than you need. When you’re running background checks, you should only be collecting information that you absolutely need. Think carefully about how long you need to keep that information for, and limit access to those involved in the hiring process.
- Store the results securely. If you’re running checks in-house, implement strong data privacy protocols and make sure only authorised employees have access to it. If you’re using a third-party provider, make sure they’re compliant with GDPR and ISO27001 certified.
- Prevent data breaches at all costs. Your team should have regular training sessions on data security best practices, especially if they have access to candidate data. Make sure reports are stored in password-protected databases or a secure cloud system, and write down a system for disposing of records once you don’t need them.
Something got flagged on a candidate’s background check. What do I do now?
The course of hiring great candidates never did run smooth — and a flag in your background check can really mess up your hiring plans. According to internal Zinc data, you can expect 1 in 5 candidates, or 22.5% to be precise, to have a flag in their results.
If you get an employee background check back with flags, what exactly should you do?
The answer, as with many things in HR and talent, is “it depends.”
Discrepancies in employment or education history
A good rule of thumb for addressing discrepancies? Get all the details.
It could be possible that something went wrong when a candidate entered their background check details, there was a mistake in the databases the check ran against, or there was a misunderstanding somewhere during the process.
Talk to the candidate directly and give them an opportunity to explain. If you’re satisfied with the explanation and it doesn’t pose any liability to your company, congrats on your hire!
Adverse background check results
These check results can be quite sensitive, so arrange a private meeting or a call with the candidate to prioritise confidentiality. Clearly present the results to them and make sure they understand the impact.
As above, it could be a misunderstanding — but it also could be a legitimate reason to not hire them. Depending on the industry you’re hiring in, you could also be bound by specific regulations to not offer them the job.
If you do decide that there are mitigating factors, it’s worth discussing with your manager or someone else who has decision-making authority. This isn’t the sort of hiring decision you want to get wrong.
How to approach candidates with red flags
At the end of the day, every candidate is a person who, presumably, really wants the job you’re hiring for and is dealing with a sensitive situation. Treat them with empathy by:
- Encouraging open communication
- Paying attention to their perspective and practicing empathy
- Creating a supportive environment where the candidate feels comfortable explaining the circumstances
- Allowing them to appeal the decision with supporting documentation if necessary
No matter what, prioritise a professional and respectful approach to candidates that builds trust in your hiring process.
Final thoughts: Making informed hiring decisions
There’s only so much you can learn about a candidate during an interview process. Background checks help you feel confident that the person you’re hiring is a good fit for your business and doesn’t pose any risks.
But there’s always a balance. Compare background check results alongside interview performance and your own skills assessment to get the big picture of each candidate. Then you’ll be able to gauge the impact of your findings on their potential job performance and your company as a whole.
Things to consider:
- Do their past experiences indicate growth, improvement, or rehabilitation?
- Do they take responsibility for any adverse findings?
- Have they demonstrated a commitment to personal and professional growth?
Above all, your background checking process should be fair and unbiased. Make decisions based on the evidence in front of you, and establish company-wide protocols for evaluating results. If you’d like to reduce unconscious bias further, consider conducting blind reviews. No matter what, be transparent with candidates to help build a good candidate experience and company reputation.
Need a hand with your background checks? At Zinc, we're here to help make the process instant, easy, and even delightful. Book a call with our team to learn more.
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