Why are pre-employment checks important for employers?

Employing the right people is one of the biggest decisions you can make as an employer. One bad apple can upset the whole cart, therefore pre-employment checks are key for employers to help foster the right culture for your business.

 

Pre-employment checks explained

Pre-employment checks, or employee screening are a crucial step in the recruitment process, providing employers with the assurance that the information presented by candidates is accurate and reliable.

They play a significant role in ensuring compliance with legal requirements and safeguarding your organisation, and your people, against potential risks.

 

Why pre-employment checks matter for employers

It’s estimated that a poor hire at mid-manager level with a salary of £42,000 can cost a business more than £132,000! This is because of the accumulation of costs associated with the recruitment process, such as training, onboarding, wasted salary and much more.

In addition to the costs directly associated with a bad hire, your business could also suffer consequences associated with a damaged reputation. For example, existing employees could suffer from a loss of morale and, in turn, reduced productivity if they believe their business is not doing its due diligence in scoping out potentially harmful candidates. Furthermore, other businesses might not want to conduct business with a company with a tarnished reputation for fear of it damaging their own reputation.

So why are pre-employment checks important? Ultimately, pre-employment checks help to ensure that your business makes good hiring decisions, protecting your reputation and looking out for those already under your wing.

Are there different types of pre-employment checks?

There are a variety of pre-employment checks that are available to businesses, including:

• Right to Work Checks – Verify that candidates have the legal right to work in the UK.
• DBS Checks (Basic, Standard, and Enhanced) – Provide information on any convictions or cautions a candidate has, preventing them from doing work that isn’t suitable.
• Identity Checks – Verify a candidate’s identity to protect your business from fraud.
• Adverse Credit Checks – Reveals any serious adverse credit history the applicant has, allowing you to avoid placing them in a role that would put you at financial risk.

What is a Right to Work check?

Right to Work Checks enable your business to verify that candidates are eligible to work in the UK. Your business must conduct this check before employing any person to make sure they are legally allowed to do the work in question.

The check requires your business to review the candidate’s applicable documents – for example, a passport or visa – to establish whether they have a time-limited or permanent right to work.

You should never make assumptions about a person’s eligibility to work in the UK or their immigration status. Failing to conduct a Right to Work Check puts you at risk of being fined by the Home Office. If this happens, you’ll get a ‘referral notice’ to let you know your case is being considered and that you might have to pay a civil penalty (fine) of up to £45,000 for each illegal worker.

 

What is a DBS Check?

DBS Checks are designed to help employers make safe recruitment decisions and prevent people from doing work they’re unsuitable for.

There are three levels of check: Basic, Standard and Enhanced. The three levels have different eligibility requirements and reveal different information about the applicant.

Basic: A Basic DBS Check or Basic Disclosure will show any unspent convictions or conditional cautions the applicant has.

Standard: This check will show any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings the applicant has.

Enhanced: This check will show any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings the applicant has, as well as any other relevant information held by the applicant’s local police force.

So why are DBS Checks important? Well, they’re essential for identifying the appropriateness of an employee for a role that you’re recruiting for. The records provided in DBS checks will show you convictions/cautions, helping you make a safe decision.

 

How long do pre-employment checks take?

Generally, pre-employment checks don’t take very long to process. Many checks can provide you with instant results, and more detailed checks, like DBS, can often be processed in as little as 48 hours.

 

If the candidate fails a pre-employment check, can the job offer be withdrawn?

If a candidate fails a pre-employment check, you can withdraw a conditional job offer. Such offers are contingent upon the successful completion of pre-employment checks, meaning that any failure to meet the conditions can result in the offer being rescinded.

It’s essential for employers to clearly communicate these conditions to candidates at the time of the offer to manage expectations and ensure transparency.

 

Manage pre-employment checks with support from our experts

Here at Citation, we’re making pre-employment screening simple for thousands of organisations just like yours. Don’t forget, our HR and Employment Law consultants are always on hand to support you with your employee screening questions.

From our range of DBS and Right to Work Checks to Adverse Credit and Digital Identity Checks, we’re here to help you confidently make good recruitment decisions.

Our easy-to-use digital platform, Atlas, can provide you with instant results for most checks. And for more detailed checks like DBS, our average turnaround time is just 48 hours… In fact, our record is just 13 minutes!

By working with us, you can benefit from:

• Extra time on the clock with speedy pre-employment checks
• More bang for your buck by only paying for the checks you need
• A support team that’s by your side and ready for anything

Ready to start simplifying your pre-employment checks? Contact us to see how Citation can help your business today with Employment Law Services and HR Services!