Hannah Espin, Head of Customer Services at Sanctis, said: “People in positions of authority and those who society turns to in times of crisis should undergo thorough initial and regular background checks as they are often privy to highly sensitive and confidential data.
“Figures that reveal that 90 per cent of officers employed by one force have not been vetted correctly present a worrying statistic, especially considering recent cases of officers misusing their position.
“However, pre-employment screening is an important part of the recruitment process for all organisations, not just the police.”
In a competitive job market, every job seeker is trying to paint themselves in the best light. In some cases, that leads to embellishing their CV and stretching the truth at interview.
According to Forbes.com job seekers lie about everything from their education and employment dates to job titles and technical skills.
Screening is now much more advanced and even the whitest of lies could be found out and potentially jeopardise an individual’s chances of securing their dream job. Sanctis delivers a range of screening services for clients and investigates everything from identity and professional qualifications to employment history and credit checks.
From the basics of collecting personal references, to criminal record checks for people working in sensitive positions or with children and vulnerable adults, Sanctis has a range of screening options available to employers to help determine an applicant’s previous conduct.
"Employment screening goes some way towards protecting a business from potential internal threats,” continued Hannah. “With the risk of liability claims and fraud, thorough screening is more than due diligence; it can help businesses avoid nasty surprises further down the road.
“Our media searches can help businesses build a better picture of the person they are hiring to become part of the team, because it’s not just customers that businesses are keen to protect; it’s colleagues too.”
Reducing liability is also identified as a key benefit of investing in employment screening. Logistics specialists are encouraged to request a DVLA report for all drivers to confirm a valid driving licence is held. Without this simple check, any accident caused by the employee could lead to the company being liable for damages and the invalidation of any insurance cover.
Sanctis can deliver pre-employment screening for any company, but is accredited by the National Security Inspectorate and can provide specialist BS7858:2012 background screening for the security industry. busy
Owing to the nature of their work, security personnel are subject to stringent checks including consumer information searches to disclose County Court Judgments, bankruptcy or insolvency; five-year career history verification; criminal record check and character references.
Hannah added: “In the past ten years we’ve seen several examples of public services and businesses whose reputations have been damaged by members of staff who, had they been screened, may not have been employed in the first place.
“Pre-employment screening can help an employer quickly eliminate those applicants who have a history of negative or negligent behaviour, limiting risks to the organisation’s reputation and reducing costs and wasted time in the long term.
“We simply want to emphasise the important of screening and promote it as beneficial for all parties as it helps to foster a safe and honest working environment. Whilst it is a serious process, it should also be straightforward and regarded as a normal and positive part of the onboarding process for new starters and a routine part of ongoing employment.”
For more information about Sanctis and its range of screening services please visit www.sanctis.co.uk