How Many Companies Require a Background Screening Check? 8 Dec 2017

In the business world, it’s common to read inspirational articles about doing something different, thinking outside the box, or taking a risk no one thought of, and thereby realizing success.

Though this might be a more exciting narrative, anyone in the business world knows that it’s not all about unique ideas. Much of what contributes to an organization’s success involves its ability to utilize better practices and processes.

You may sometimes be left thinking: How can we disrupt this industry? But most of the time you’ll be looking to learn from others how they solve the same problems you’re facing.

An issue every organization deals with is how to get the right employees in the right seats.

Though there are numerous theories and techniques that go into performing a thorough search for applicants, as well as ways to entice these potential employees to your organization, most employers adhere to one fundamental practice of the hiring process: background screenings.

Reasons to Screen Employees

According to a recent survey of 1,528 human resource professionals, 96 percent of companies conduct background checks of some kind when hiring. That’s a staggering rate, and points to the fact that a standard background check has become a nearly universal part of the hiring process.

For the most part, organizations perform a background check for safety reasons. In the survey, 89 percent reported they screen a candidate’s criminal record in order to protect their customers and other employees from potential harm.

Fifty-two percent of respondents reported that they do background checks to improve the quality of their hires, and 45 percent do so to protect the organization’s reputation. The fourth most common reason is to comply with laws and regulations (44 percent).

Who Uses Them?

The short answer is: Organizations of all shapes and sizes.

From the survey results, 52 percent of respondents were from companies with fewer than 99 employees and 24 percent were from companies with fewer than 24 employees.

Forty-six percent of the HR professionals surveyed worked for privately held companies and 37 percent worked for nonprofits.

We mention these numbers to illustrate just how common it is for companies, no matter their size or structure, to screen employees before extending a job offer.

Whether it’s employment verification, reference checks, or criminal background checks, there are many layers to a background check. Depending on their needs, companies can opt for any number of add-ons to make them more confident in their hiring decisions.

With over 20 years of experience, we here at Trusted Employees have worked with a range of clients, each with different needs. We pride ourselves in our ability to offer customized solutions that help organizations get closer to hiring that perfect candidate.