In today’s society, where cyberfraud and identity theft are rampant, background checks have become an essential tool for verifying the authenticity of people’s claims. Background checks are extensive searches that verify the various aspects of a person’s life, including employment history, criminal records, and academic certifications. Conducting background checks have become necessary not just for screening potential employees but also for verifying the authenticity of people who claim to be who they say they are. Background checks have become essential in protecting public safety as it helps in identifying high-risk individuals who could pose a danger to people's lives.
Here's why background checks are important in today's society and how they help prevent fraud and protect public safety.
Protecting Employers from Liabilities
Hiring employees has become a daunting task for employers. Employees bring along their baggage of risks to an organization. Unknowingly hiring employees with a history of workplace violence, drug abuse, or theft could cause significant liabilities to employers in the form of lawsuits that could damages its reputation. Incorporating background checks into the hiring processes could help employers avoid such risks. Background checks help organizations avoid fraudulent job applications and ensure they are hiring the right person for the job.
Spotting Fraudulent Job Applications
On average, employees are responsible for 5% of business fraud incidents. In most cases, fraudulent job applications are culpable for business fraud cases. Background checks help uncover fraudulent job applications before the employer commits to them. By verifying an applicant’s work experience, education background, and credentials, employers can avoid hiring applicants who falsify their credentials. A background check could reveal ethical issues in a person's past, and this could help employers make informed decisions about the candidates they hire.
Preventing Crimes
The right to feel safe in our community is vital. Background checks help identify individuals who could pose a danger to society. For example, when hiring employees, some sectors may require employees to handle sensitive information or vulnerable individuals. Doing background checks on these candidates helps detect any history of violence or sex-related offenses that could disqualify the candidate from the job. For example, organizations such as schools conduct background checks on their employees that include, among other things, a child abuse check since child abuse is an offense that cannot be committed within an organization or in a public space.
Protecting Public Safety
Public safety is another major concern that background checks help safeguard. As mandated by the Public Safety Act of 2012, government agencies are responsible for conducting background checks on their applicants to prevent hiring anyone who poses a risk to public safety. Public safety officers, for instance, were given an ultimatum to carry out fingerprint-based background checks before the deadlines stipulated in the act to ensure public trust in their work.
Protecting Sensitive Information
Background checks also help protect sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized personnel. Employers use background checks to verify if applicants have a history of data mismanagement or information leaks that could compromise the organization's security. Financial institutions that handle sensitive information, for example, require a more rigorous background check process to ensure that employees are reliable. The 2017 Equifax data breach, which exposed personal information of over 143 million customers, could have been avoided if the financial institution had conducted background checks on the employees responsible for handling customer information.
Improving Credibility
Mistrust or lack of faith in organizations, be it public or private, can cripple their credibility. Background checks can help improve organizational credibility by increasing trust with clients, partners, and stakeholders through transparency and authenticity. Running background checks on potential employees or services providers sends a message to clients that the organization prioritizes their safety and confidentiality. Moreover, conducting background checks on service providers ensures the fidelity of their claims. For example, knowing that hotel staff underwent thorough background checks before employing them assures clientele that staff won't steal or cause harm to them.
In conclusion, background checks are an essential tool in today's society. Background checks do not only prevent fraud but also help protect public safety from high-risk individuals with previous criminal records. They also protect sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized persons and safeguard organizations from liabilities associated with hiring unqualified applicants. Incorporating background checks into the recruitment, organizational processes could improve the credibility of the organization, increase public trust and confidence in its operations, and avoid potential legal and reputational risks.
