Pre-Employment Checks For Employers
Pre-employment checks ensure that employers recruit the most suitable candidates; they also help to improve retention and reduce turnover. Before an employer makes a conditional offer, they can check if references are up to date, if the candidate will uphold the company’s values and whether they have a criminal record.
This article will discuss why these checks are essential and how an employer can land the best employee.
The Importance of Pre-Employment Checks
Pre-employment checks are essential to the recruitment process; they help employers recruit qualified candidates and protect the company from potential liability.
Pre-employment checks allow companies to decide the following:
- Is the candidate suitable for the job role, especially if they will be working with vulnerable adults and children.
- Do they have the correct qualifications and skills required for the role
- Does the candidate have the right to work in the UK, and if you employ them, will you be complying with the law
- Is the candidate physically capable of doing the job, you must ensure that you are not being discriminatory
Pre-Employment Checks UK
DBS Checks
Employers use DBS checks in the UK to check an employee’s criminal record; they are carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service. They are used to make sure that an employee or volunteer is suitable to work with vulnerable adults and children. They are usually part of the recruitment process for paid employees, but some organisations require them for volunteers too. Criminal record checks also allow employers to recruit candidates with a clean criminal history and protect the organisation from potential harm.
Depending on the organisation’s size, DBS checks can be undertaken in various ways. Larger companies may have the resources to conduct more comprehensive checks; however, smaller organisations may only be able to perform simpler checks due to the financial costs involved.
The different types of DBS Checks –
- Basic DBS Check – Only available to organisations, for example, retail businesses, hospitality, industry etc
- Standard DBS Check – For individuals both in the public and private sector
- Enhanced DBS Check – The most comprehensive check required for specific healthcare and education roles, for example.
Identity Checks
Companies are responsible for confirming a person’s identity before recruiting them; this helps to protect them from potential fraud and theft.
There are different ways that companies can check a person’s identity; the main two are biographical identity and attributed identity. There are advantages and disadvantages to using both, and companies should decide which is best for their business.
Online and Social Media Checks
A person’s online and social media presence is often a good way of seeing how they are in daily life. Employers can use the checks to see if a potential employee will be a good fit for their organisation and whether they’ll be a productive team member. Nowadays, it is normal for an employer to ask for links to a person’s social media profiles when recruiting them.
Qualifications alone aren’t always a good indicator of whether someone will be the right candidate for a job. How a person portrays themself online can show if they have any problematic behaviours such as having discriminatory or prejudiced views. These checks are particularly important if the job requires someone in a customer-facing role or handling sensitive data.
Employment References
One of the most important parts of the recruitment process is to ask a candidate for references from past employers. Employment references allow the company to get information from previous work colleagues, which helps them to decide if the candidate will be suitable for the role. References provide an employer with information such as their work ethic, job skills, how they work in a team and any other experience they may have.
Medical Checks
Another key part of the recruitment process is medical checks; employers often use them to ensure an employee is fit and healthy enough for the job. These checks help identify health risks and reduce the risk of accidents or sickness in the workplace. They also identify extra support an employee may need in their job role.
Right-To-Work Checks
Job seekers can often come from countries other than the UK; employers need to ensure they have the right to work in the UK. Right-to-work documents are ‘list A documents’ which prove that a worker has the right to work in the UK, and ‘list B documents’ show that a person has the temporary or time-limited right to work in the UK.
If you’d like to find out more about pre-employment checks or ask any other questions, then get in touch with one of our expert advisors today.
