Mitigating Hiring Risks: Top Five Challenges and Solutions

As you can imagine, hiring the “wrong” personnel entails various risks. In this article, we list the five risks that we see most in practice. We also give you three pieces of advice on how to avoid these risks. Automated background checks can also be used for certain risks, so your organization prevents complications during the hiring process. To better understand this process, we have written the following blog “the differences between each type of check for pre-employment screening + turnaround times.” Happy reading!

1. You hire people who do not fit the job (bad hiring)

Because candidates present themselves differently than they actually are, for example through manipulating their resumes, you are hiring people who may not be suitable for the position. For example, the ‘date of termination at a previous employer is regularly changed. This is an attempt to cover up a ‘gap’ on the CV.

2. Additional costs of the recruitment process.

If you hire people who are not qualified for the position, this will often lead to the termination of the contract after the probationary period. For you, this means a new application process with the associated recruitment costs. Add to that your valuable time and that of the training period and you have a rather expensive ordeal on your hands.

3. Reputational damage for your company

There are so many known examples: a teacher without a degree in education, a courier without a driving license who causes an accident, a dentist who was not allowed to be a dentist, a child psychiatrist with a history of child pornography or a dock worker who was involved in large-scale cocaine transports. Can you already imagine the headlines? Less impressive situations can also have consequences for your company’s reputation, for example towards clients.

4. Diploma manipulation leads to quality deterioration

It happens more often than you think: diploma manipulation. Candidates, who claim to have completed an education or to have obtained a certain diploma: do you verify whether it is true? Yet, this is one of the most common manipulations. You already know what we are getting at: people who are not (properly) trained can compromise the quality of your product or service.

5. Not being able to meet requirements for ISO certification or other quality marks

Various quality marks and certifications require high-quality and reliable personnel. The human factor is often seen as the weakest link in relation to security. To prevent this, background checks of employees are indispensable for obtaining or retaining certifications and quality marks.

Fortunately, most background screenings result in the confirmation that the candidate is who he or she says he is. Getting that confirmation is perhaps even more important for an HR professional than preventing the “bad hire. Do you want to know what the reasons are for doing background screening in 2022? Read the article in which we list these reasons for you. The table below gives you more insight into the number of times that a positive and negative result is obtained from a screening.

How do you prevent problems? Three pieces of advice Below you will find three tips to prevent a “bad hire.

1. Ensure understanding of screening possibilities and privacy obligations
An extensive background check goes a lot further than a VOG(criminal record). It is important to gain insight into the possibilities and requirements for screening your employees. Here, it is important that you know what you can and cannot ask, examine and check. Also research for what and when you need to ask permission from your employee. After all, you are not only dealing with the needs of your organization or client but also with the Personal Data Protection Act. We see that screening is often less accurate due to a lack of knowledge about (international) background checks and relevant legislation. Would you like to know the difference between a criminal record and a background check?

Download our practical guide to an effective screening policy. It not only contains practical tips and a handy checklist, but also an overview of the differences between criminal records and background checks.

2. Engage an expert
Could you consider this preaching to the converted? Yes, probably, but is there anything wrong with that? We do not think so. There is a reason why companies such as PESCHECK exist: they add value to the background check process. The point we are trying to make here is: ‘Whether it is PESCHECK or another party, make sure you seek advice in unfamiliar territory.’

This already starts with the design of the screening policy. Moreover, an extra pair of eyes during the (international) background check process ensures that the foundation for the future is based on trust. A skilled partner ensures that you not only write a good policy but also implement it. It does not matter whether you ultimately carry out the actual check yourself or outsource it to an external party.

3. Drawing up a professional screening policy
A well-thought-out policy is crucial for a serious recruitment process. In an upcoming blog, we will help you on your way to creating a screening policy. You will also find more about this in our guide to an effective screening policy.

The right approach

This information is part of our practical guide to an effective screening policy. Do you want to hire candidates with integrity or screen existing staff for abuses and falsehoods? Read the entire guide, and you will know exactly how you should approach this as an HR professional. Don’t feel like reading this document in its entirety, or do you still have questions? Feel free to contact us, and we will help you take the right steps.

A practical guide to an effective screening policy. In this guide, you will find everything about drawing up and setting up an effective screening policy for candidates and employees. Including practical tips, trends and a useful checklist.