DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRE-EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION AND POST-EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION

We need to be absolutely certain of the employees that we recruit so that we do not end up incurring massive losses in the form of decreased productivity, lowered organizational morale and higher turnover costs. As per a survey conducted by the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA), 94 percent of employers conducted at least one type of background check whereas 73 percent of employers had a documented screening policy. Background Verification of employees is carried out pre- and post-employment, before they are onboarded or, after they have been recruited into an organization. A complete background check service is essential so as to ensure that the candidates have a clean image and do not jeopardize the firm’s reputation in any manner. A one -time pre-employment check involves the quick validation of the employee’s claims on the job application. The post-employment verification may involve a conditional job offer which is based on the final background verification report being “green” (background verification reports are colour coordinated), meaning verified. This reveals all the aspects of the individual in depth.

Certain firms are in a rush to fill in some major positions and so, they take in candidates without properly verifying their credentials. Usually, the Human Resource Manager conducts the employee checks and an easy way to get that done is by going over the Identity documents and some academic certificates. These documents are not screened in the stringent manner that certified background check firm employ. An authentic background verification firm like Millow will not just simplify the entire process of fraud mitigation by conducting checks directly from the issuing authorities, using automated platforms, but will also generate valid reports in a short span of time. Making informed hiring decisions are not as implausible as they once were.

In the event of a bad hire, not just your employees but your clients too will suffer. An element of unprofessionalism in a firm can result in decline in work quality, employee disengagement, and interdepartmental conflicts. Any firm cannot afford to put its own reputation at stake as this could have a significant impact on its revenue.

The major differences between pre-employment and post employment verification are:

• Pre employment checks cover only the potential candidates who have applied for a particular job, but post employment checks cover all the employees of the firm and so, are all encompassing.
• Pre employment checks take place during the recruitment phase whereas post employment checks take place after the employee has started work and it can even be done on a continual basis ( either annually or semi-annually)
• Pre employment checks take about three to four days whereas post employment checks take up to seven to nine days.

The main reason behind greater emphasis on post employment screenings is that a candidate with a clean image may not hold a similar image throughout his/ her life. Most frauds that are committed are initiated by seasoned employees who hold senior level positions in a company. Post employment verification does the work of quantifying the risk levels associated with any particular individual so that the company can tackle those risks in the most effective manner. Regular credit checks and criminal history checks should be mandated. Even discreet checks may be required to ensure that an employee is not working as a double agent and sharing confidential information with a competitor.

An employment screening survey conducted by Griffiths and Associates brought to light that 7% of all employees who had begun working with a clean record, had acquired criminal records over the years without the employer’s knowledge. Substance abuse is a cause of concern when it comes to employees. The pressure of meeting strict deadlines causes them to fall for drugs in order to achieve those targets. They do not think twice and it is only a matter of days before the addiction sets in. This is especially true in the case of blue-collar workers who may need to be screened on a continual basis for any proof of criminal activity.