The coronavirus pandemic has turned the world upside down. Ironically, while millions of people are not able to go to work because of the lockdowns and others have lost their jobs there are a few economic domains where there is a lack of personnel.
Some sectors have seen a huge increase in demand for new staff
The health sector is under strain and hospitals are desperate to hire new staff, both health workers, but also cleaning personnel and clerks. The same goes for online retailers who have witnessed a huge increase in their operations. They need staff for their warehouses, but there is also a huge demand for delivery guys.
One thing all these businesses have in common is they need new employees fast, which puts Human Resources departments under great stress. With so many people facing unemployment there’s no lack of applicants.
Modern AI software can make initial assessments faster, at least as far as checking if the candidates have the required qualifications. However, recruiting managers have to power through many job interviews per day and sometimes they need to rush them.
Under normal circumstances, a good HR agent has a good eye for people and can spot people who seem to be a bit shady and unreliable. But when you have to meet dozens of job-seekers per day, you cannot and should not rely on a first impression.
Online police checks for fast results
Background security checks are crucial when employing any sort of staff, but there’s an even greater responsibility when you have to fill in vacancies in hospitals where there are many vulnerable people. Another huge problem is that jobs in the health sectors are very attractive for people with a drug history looking for ways to get their hands on drugs. If you want to avoid serious problems in the future, you need to go through all the background checks suitable for the position.
Since you need to get a police check fast, the best thing is to use the services of an online agency accredited with the federal government. This allows agencies like Australian National Character Checker to provide 100% valid national police checks with all the relevant information about an individual’s criminal record. Their website address is australiannationalcharactercheck.com.au and they offer it as a completely online service. You can get details about convictions or pending charges, although crimes that happened long ago may not necessarily be listed in such documents as they will be disclosed in accordance with spent convictions legislation.
For a recruiting agent, working with a reputable online agency is the perfect solution. You can upload all the information about a prospective employee in a couple of minutes and the results come back in 1 to 3 business days, which is really fast especially now that most institutions take longer times to respond due to all the restrictions and social distancing protocols.
The agency sends the national police check documents via email, so there’s no need for anybody to go out of the office and be exposed to the virus.
When it’s so easy, there’s really no reason to skip the background checks!
Reasons why one should have applicant screening
With the rise in demand for hiring new employees, their qualifications will not change. For instance, a valid background check is important to work as a delivery driver besides having the right license and training. Whether to work as a delivery driver or a nurse, a background check is imperative to gaining success and productivity in the industries.
These businesses are regarded as highly important sectors, so should be legally compliant not only for the employee but also for the general public who will seek services from them. This can be ensured through a background check.
Why is it important to screen new hires?
Let’s take an example where the transportation industry needs to hire a driver. It is legally advised by the transportation industry to undertake a background check on a potential driver. There is a specific type of background checks that need to be carried out for truck drivers. This is regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCA) in Australia.
Running a proper background check is not only important for protecting the business from legal problems but also from the lawsuits of negligent-hiring. In doing so, you can assure the clients, employees, and the business assets are safe with those people around. It’s easy to shield your business as you have the capacity to know them beforehand.
Overwhelming demands could lead to hiring mistakes
As the demand for new employees is rising with the evolving COVID-19 situation, many employers may decide to check the details later, first fill up the requirement. But do not get crazy at this time! There’s absolutely no reason to take up any risk in the hiring decision.
An inaccurate background check is something that employers should be aware of because it might not contain the crimes the applicant has committed in the past or information about any violent convictions. This will result in faulty reports caused by speeding up criminal background checks.
Not only the accused applicant will step out of the crime, but many innocent candidates may be fetched with the wrong records. This could, unfortunately, lead to a lawsuit for utilizing the wrong character check results in the hiring process.
Avoid getting trapped between wrong results
Inaccurate information could lead to hiring mistakes such as letting go of the right person and choosing the wrong one for the position. Reliable results can help to differentiate between the two besides acting as a shelter for the business. An accurate background check saves from getting trapped and from unnecessary expenses.
Below are a few ways you can escape such traps:
● Inform the employee of the consequences of providing the wrong or inaccurate information. It’s important to tell them beforehand of any critical decision such as rejecting them based on their background check results.
● It’s always a good practice to supply a copy of the report to the candidate. This will give them the chance to correct any misleading information before informing them about your final decision.
● The most important step is to double-check on the accuracy of the company who provides the background check. Choose a company which thoroughly looks at the result and issues the genuine results.
Last but not least- Protect yourself to protect others
The world is already in a stressful situation and panicking is not the solution. Do not make mistakes which could have been avoided just by a small step. Do not rush to hire people without unfolding their character. This may lead to a more strained environment. If you need a quick and reliable background check for your employee, the Australian National Character
Check got you covered!
Nina Smith 
Nicola Holder