Background checks can give employers additional peace of mind that they are hiring good people to join their company.
But many employers wonder if background checks are worth it.
Let’s go over the pros and cons of using background checks so that you can make an educated decision for your business.
Pros of Using Background Checks
Here are the top three reasons why most employers choose to use background checks in their hiring processes.
Ensure Employees are Qualified
Background checks can verify the credentials that your candidate listed on their resume. These checks can confirm that your candidate has the degrees, certifications, and qualifications required to do their job correctly.
With background checks, you do not have to take your candidate’s word that they have a master’s degree in electrical engineering. You can verify this information to know for sure.
Keep Current Employees Safe
You want to know as much as you possibly can about the people you are bringing onto your team. Your employees will be safer if they know that the new person has been vetted and does not have an egregious criminal history. Your current employees could be at risk if a new employee is hired who lied about knowing how to work heavy machinery or use specific tools.
Reduce Risk
As an employer, you are responsible for anything your employees do while on the job. Therefore, to reduce your risk of liability, you want to make sure that you hire people who are unlikely to commit a crime or behave poorly.
You will also want to make sure that you will hire people who will work hard for you and not cheat your company or steal from it. Background checks are one-way employers try to make judgments about whether someone will be a risk-free employee.
Drawbacks of Using Background Checks
The following reasons are why some employers choose not to use background checks.
Add Time to the Hiring Process
You are probably wondering, how long do background checks take? While the specific answer to this question varies based on what type of background check, where you are located, and several other factors, in general, it will always take extra time to conduct a background check.
If you have a tight window to make your hire, you may deem that a background check will take too long.
Can Be Expensive
Conducting a background check is not free. If you have a minimal hiring budget, then it may not be worth it to divert resources to background checks.
However, it would be best if you kept in mind that spending a little money on a preventative background check will be less expensive than dealing with a liability lawsuit after hiring an unsatisfactory employee.
Unable to Predict the Future
Background checks, primarily criminal background checks, only talk about the past. Just because someone got mixed up in the wrong crowd and committed a crime years ago does not mean that they will be a lousy employee.
Placing too much emphasis on background checks may cause employers to overlook quality employees because they have some issues on paper.
Final Thoughts
Sure, there are many pros and cons of using background checks. Generally, they are more commonly used by larger companies who have the time, requirements, and budget to implement them.
However, background checks can certainly help any company that wants to reduce its risk and increase its peace of mind as much as possible in its hiring practices. You must evaluate your company’s priorities before deciding whether to use background checks.
