Safety in the workplace is a top priority. In addition to the well-being of your staff, safety includes maintaining the company's financial goals, integrity, ethics and culture. When conducting a pre-employment background check you should communicate your company's safe hiring practices to prospective employees. This can help reduce the risk of a regrettable hiring decision as well as reduce employee turnover and the risk of a devastating incidental cost.

The Hiring Process

There are four main components to the hiring process: the application, resume, interview and employment background checks. During this process, it is to your advantage to maintain a checklist of documents received from the prospective new hire. A checklist helps ensure that crucial elements of the hiring process are not forgotten.

Documentation

A company should always have a hard copy of its policies and procedures on hand for prospective hires as well as current employees to reference. In this manual, include the training procedures followed and audits the company may conduct on its employees, such as employment background checks. In addition to making sure all employees are aware of their expectations and the company's procedures, having documentation of all this can help protect your business from lawsuits related to poor hiring practices.

Documentation also includes making notes regarding questions and answers during phone conversations with applicants. In addition, it is a good idea to have a list of questions to ask an applicant's personal and professional references so you do not mistakenly ask a question that is against the law.

Safe Hiring Statements

To further protect your business, include a safe hiring statement as part of the literature you require applicants to review. You should also include a copy in your policies and procedures manual. This statement explains your company's hiring procedures and will include all of the information associated with the hiring process including doing employment background checks, information about any third parties assisting in the pre-employment screening process and the company's compliance with federal and state laws.

Written Consents to be legal

A written consent is required any time a company wishes to conduct a pre-employment background check or run a credit report on prospective or current employees. You can weed out many applicants with questionable histories if you state in classified ads and job postings that your company runs such checks. Also when an applicant knows the company is going to conduct such screenings, he or she is more likely to be honest about the past.

Applications and Checklists

It is common for a company to request only a resume from prospective hires, but an application will require individuals to disclose additional information such as criminal history. Making yourself a checklist for certain items to check on an application can help you notice questionable items that might otherwise be missed. Red flags to look for on applications and forms include the lack of a signature authorizing employment background checks; listed criminal charges; unexplained gaps in work history; and odd reasons for leaving past employers.

Instilling safe hiring practices and procedures is a good first step to finding employees who are the right fit for your company. By setting up an effective and safe hiring procedure, you will improve the efficiency of locating a valuable new employee.