Due to the changing workforce landscape, human resource departments need to focus on several key areas. The ways that companies do business often changes to be able to help companies stay competitive with today’s global trends. With changes in business models and goals comes the need to change the workforce behind it. This job typically falls to the human resource department to not only find the proper candidates that can help propel the company into their future goals but also reshape their current workforce to meet their needs.

As we enter a new area of global competition, below are four of the current needs that human resource departments are starting to face:

Workforce Diversity

From diversity comes creativity, innovation, and better decision-making efforts. These values combined help to give companies a more competitive edge in the world of business. Human resource departments are on the lookout for candidates who may present them with a properly diversified workforce by incorporating employees of various cultures, age, race, lifestyle, and gender.

Technology

Staying up to date with technological advancement can not only help human resource departments with hiring decisions, benefit monitoring, evaluations, and reporting, it can also help them stay connected with other departments to facilitate interoffice communication. Technology is also becoming an essential component of training in the workplace as well allowing more employees access to training documents and information at the touch of a button.

Programs for Employee Involvement and Interaction

Companies that keep their employees engaged with the company and its business model tend to report happier and more productive workforce numbers than those that see their employees as replaceable commodities. Human Resource professionals are also looking for the tools to promote and improve employee interaction with each other to aid in the reduction of employee disagreements and help to promote continued employee job satisfaction.

The Ability for Human Resource Departments to Entice Employees With Coveted Benefits

For human resource departments to be able to attract the talent that they need to create an employee workforce that will benefit the businesses’ current as well as future needs, human resources need to have the tools to entice those prospective employees. The economy is on the upswing but with rising costs of healthcare, many employees are looking past salaries and weighing company benefits heavily when accepting positions. Benefits such as health care, health and wellness incentives, family paid leave, vacation, and retirement benefits are all important pieces of the positions that are offered.

Whether your company needs to address benefits, diversify their workforce, increase technology, or get employees more involved, getting these needs met will not only help a business to become more successful in a competitive market, it will also create a workforce dedicated to the companies goals and visions. Human resource departments should endeavor to meet these needs.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is for information purposes only and is not intended to provide professional or legal advice regarding actions to take in any situation.

Employment screening has always been about standardizing the process to minimize hiring risks and connect with the best candidates possible. While standardization is important in terms of creating a comprehensive process and treating all candidates fairly, there’s always been something somewhat impersonal about this method. So employers are working to humanize employment screening.

5 Ways To Humanize Employment Screening

Looking Beyond Facts and Figures

An increasing number of employers are taking steps to change that. They are looking behind the stats and at the real person being considered for the job. Doing so results in a more nuanced, accurate assessment and a better understanding of each individual being screened.

This is also increasingly more in line with state and local ban-the-box laws and EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) fair hiring practices. There are some specific, effective ways that any employer or HR department can humanize employment screening processes.

Involving the Candidate

A professional employment screening service is still indispensable, but employers are taking steps to engage and involve the candidate throughout the process. For example, if an item comes up in their criminal record, employers will discuss the matter with the applicant instead of ruling them out.

Employers are more aware of the fact that there is a real person behind the record. If circumstances warrant giving the individual a chance, it could pay off dramatically in terms of the employee’s gratitude and loyalty. Engaging the candidate in this process not only allows them to appeal and/or correct any inaccuracies, but to also respond and explain the results.

Finding Those Diamonds in the Rough

Ultimately, approaching employee screening in this way empowers workers to provide context for anything that comes up in their record. This includes employment gaps, crimes or anything else that could be seen as a red flag to hiring them.

Close to one in three American adults have had a criminal record, although not all are criminal convictions. Being more flexible and personal on this matter increases the hiring pool and can help employers to find workers with untapped potential.

While risk management is what drives comprehensive employment screening, sometimes what’s on paper or in digital records is not so black and white. It’s possible that the issue in question would not automatically disqualify the applicant from the job.

Is the Offense Relevant to the Position?

EEOC guidance provides another motive to individualize and humanize employment screening processes. Nearly 100 ban-the-box statutes across the nation require some level of individualized assessment for each candidate.

The EEOC states that employers should assess each applicant individually, even those with criminal records. Automatically rejecting anyone with a criminal past can lead to legal issues. The EEOC now strongly recommends talking with the individual and considering the nature of the crime, when it occurred and under what circumstances, along with the nature of the job for which they have applied.

While some cases are cut and dried, as with someone who has recently committed a violent crime or sex offense, other nonviolent crimes from long ago may not be issues to hold against the applicant.

Starting Off On the Right Foot

There is evidence that a more personalized approach to humanize employment screening also improves the onboarding process for workers. Background checks usually take place when a conditional employment offer is made. Keeping the applicant involved every step of the way starts their journey with the company with a tone and foundation of respect.

Many HR studies show that the first 90 days of employment are the most crucial to onboarding, productivity and retention of new employees. Humanizing employment screening processes effectively creates an atmosphere of trust and transparency, laying the foundation for a more successful relationship going forward.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is for information purposes only and is not intended to provide professional or legal advice regarding actions to take in any situation.

The Internet and social media platforms in particular have brought additional assistance to employers, and the majority of them are now using these resources as a means of recruiting and with the screening process new hires. A survey by SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) found that within the past year, well over a third of businesses have passed by a job applicant due to “concerning information” such as discrepancies on their application found by looking at a social media profile or other online source.

However, businesses and organizations using these methods should be aware that online resources should be used consistently and fairly when applied as screening process tools.

The following five tips can assist with the hiring and screening process and successful use of online resources for employee background screening:

1. Link Up with LinkedIn

The social media platform used most for job seekers and hiring is LinkedIn, with Facebook and Twitter following in second and third. This is in large part because LinkedIn is geared toward professionals and recruiting.

2. Get a More Personal Look

Insights into a potential employees personal life and character can be gleaned via their Facebook and Twitter accounts. Employers should use these platforms consistently with all potential employees.

3. Play By the Rules

Employers must still abide by hiring rules and regulations stating that the information used to rule out a candidate is not discriminatory and is a valid predictor for their performance on the job. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in particular protects against discrimination; employers must guard against any action that will make it appear as though they are discriminating an applicant based upon race, color, creed, age, nationality, health issues, marital status, etc.

4. Establish a Screening Process Policy

One of the best safeguards against litigation is to establish a screening process policy for hiring that is used across the boards with each applicant. Using consistent screening process procedures and policies, documenting the steps taken and keeping metrics can help to ensure both fairness and protection.

5. Rely On Professional Employment Screening

A professional employment screening service can check an applicant’s credit history and determine if they have a history of violence or criminal activity. This service can be invaluable in augmenting any online screening process policy.

Job seekers must be more vigilant than ever regarding what they post on their social media accounts. However, employers using online resources for employment screening should strive to do so fairly, consistently and effectively.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is for information purposes only and is not intended to provide professional or legal advice regarding actions to take in any situation.

The Amazon company is pretty well known as the leader in online shopping, but like all businesses, it began as an idea. How did Amazon progress from just a little startup to a renowned international juggernaut? For one, by hiring the right people.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has been pretty public about many things, including his hiring processes. He says he would rather interview dozens of people and not bring anyone on board instead of hiring even one wrong individual. He sets the bar high and attributes Amazon’s success in large part to this process.

Not surprisingly, the Amazon company is legendary for having an extremely indepth and rigorous hiring process in their quest for top talent. The ethos of Jeff Bezos can be distilled down to three main questions that help him cut to the chase and distil the individuals most likely to be an asset to the Amazon organization.

These three questions include:

1. Is This Person Someone I Will Admire?

Admiration is high on Jeff Bezos’ list. If a hiring manager finds themselves admiring a job candidate in the interview, this is a good sign. It means the individual will likely be both a company asset and a positive example to others.

2. Will This Individual Raise the Bar?

The second question is related to the first in that it looks for the applicant’s likelihood of inspiring better performance in others.

3. Is “Superstardom” Possible, and If So, How?

Lastly, Bezos looks for applicants who have a genuine interest and ability to contribute to the Amazon company culture. There are different dimensions, and there can be unique or even unexpected ways to contribute and thrive. Bezos is aware that elements like creativity, humor and having fun all play into a successful workplace. In some cases, uniqueness can usurp well-roundedness in a job candidate.

While these questions speak to the surface level and personality-driven aspects of job applicants, they are compelling to consider. Fleshing out a comprehensive hiring process is assisted with the addition of professionally screening employees.

While some interviewees may be able to talk a big game and sway even the most discerning interviewer, professional background screening can help to ensure an applicant will be a quality, trustworthy and reliable new hire.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is for information purposes only and is not intended to provide professional or legal advice regarding actions to take in any situation.

While it’s understandable that small business owners might strive to cut corners and save money however they can, in some cases it’s just not worth the risk. Employee background screening is one example. While it may be tempting to do it all in-house, there are serious risks and hazards to doing so.

Here are three ways DIY employee background screening could be detrimental to a business:

1. Misunderstanding the Data

Just because records can be pulled doesn’t mean they will be easily decipherable. Employers who are inexperienced in reading and interpreting such records could make costly mistakes. An employer who isn’t versed in the language and meaning of these records is at risk of missing crucial information that could cause them to engage in negligent hiring. They might also err in the other direction and inadvertently discriminate against someone who is actually a quality hire. A professional background screening service can assist in gleaning and distilling the relevant information and then presenting the salient points in an easy to understand manner.

2. The Ever-Changing Legal Landscape

In addition to federal laws and EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) regulations, each state has its own guidelines for how employers may enact background checks in that state. A lack of awareness and failure to comply with these guidelines could leave an employer vulnerable to a lawsuit. Screening laws can change anytime, and using a professional employee background screening service can help to ensure that the process will be handled in a legally compliant manner.

3. Lost Time and Focus

Small business owners must wear many hats, and it’s all too easy to get spread quite thin. Doing their own background checks and employee background screening could contribute to added stress and burning the candle at both ends. Sifting through raw data in court systems, criminal searches and credit reports can be both confusing and time consuming, taking a business owner away from their area of expertise. Outsourcing employee background screening to a proven, professional service expedites the process and allows business owners to focus on what they do best: run their business.

Business owners shouldn’t take risks with the success and future of their enterprise. Outsourcing duties like employee background screening can help keep a business compliant and increase its effectiveness when hiring new staff members.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is for information purposes only and is not intended to provide professional or legal advice regarding actions to take in any situation.