Background Checking Tips

Business owners, small or large, all want to employ good people who will not endanger their business or their workplace.

1. Create a policy

Like any other business task, you should take some time in creating a background checking policy to ensure consistancy throughout your process. It doesn't take a lot of skill to write a policy. You just really need to document under the headings: "who, what, where, why and how". Of course, there may be different rules and headings that you may want to fill for different positions.

2. Get all their information

When you do a background check on your potential employees, you should collect as much information about them as possible. This will include a list of current and past addresses, current and past employment and their NI number. These will help make it easier to perform checks

3. Conduct a Criminal Record Check

If you're employing someone to work in a high security job or work with children, you need to perform a criminal record check on that person first. However, in the UK, unlike the US, you cannot easily access anyone's details (on a private basis). To do CR checks, you should start by reading the details in the Criminal Records Bureau website (http://www.crb.gov.uk)

4. Confirm previous Employment and Education

Contact current and past employers to confirm applicants' work history, position, salary, compensation, etc. Also check with the applicants' given education institution to confirm their qualifications. Checking their education/qualifications is especially important if the job is in any way dependent on their education.

5. Check Driving History

If you are hiring a driver to drive for your company then it is strongly recommended that you check their driving licence and history. This will tell you various things such as: has the driver passed their test, are they currently banned, are they entitled to drive the category of vehicle they will be driving, do they have any points and does their recorded address match?

6. Taking adverse action

If you are to take any adverse action such as demoting, terminating or sacking someone because of the information you obtained from the background check, the person must be notified in advance in writing. This will give the person a chance to dispute the information found and/or allows the person time to fine a new job.

7. Outsource to a reputable background checker

If your business is too small have do not have enough time or resources in performing these background checks then you should think about outsources this task to companies that specialise in background checking.