Report Highlights Key Factors Influencing Employment Screening Programs
The top reasons for performing employment background and drug screening today are to mitigate risk, improve the quality of hire, promote workplace safety and meet regulatory compliance requirements, according to HireRight Inc.
HireRight Inc. recently released a report is based on a comprehensive survey of security and human resources professionals from organizations of a wide range of sizes and industries. The "2008 HireRight Background Screening Benchmarking Report" addresses the key factors influencing employment screening programs today, the scope of their screening programs, the methods they use in operating their screening programs and the types of background checks they most commonly perform. Specific findings include:
- Extended workforces, including consultants, contract labor, temporary and vendor personnel, are screened one-third as often as the permanent, full-time workforce, resulting in increased risk for firms that utilize contingent labor.
- More than half of all respondents indicated they currently use or plan to use a screening solution integrated with their applicant tracking or talent management solution.
- Just more than a third of all respondents indicated their organization conducts background checks internationally in some form.
- More than half of organizations who responded use the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify employment eligibility program or are evaluating its usage.
- Job applicants are five times more likely to be screened than current employees, highlighting the existing employee risk that may exist at many companies.
The "2008 HireRight Background Screening Benchmarking Survey" was conducted between January and March 2008, using an electronic questionnaire that respondents completed online. Dozens of questions were included to gather information on topics such as screening programs and their management, organizational strategic and tactical plans, and common screening policies and practices. Participants included individuals from organizations that perform employment background screening today, ranging from large businesses with more than 25,000 employees to small businesses with less than 100 employees.