TM - August 2008 - (Page 18)

recruitment & retention assessment & evaluation compensation & beneﬁts performance management learning & development succession planning Combine High-Tech and High-Touch International Background Screening Traci Canning Roughly a third of companies conduct some form of international screening either for U.S. hires with an international component, or for local hires in foreign ofﬁces, according to HireRight’s “2008 Background Screening Benchmarking Report.” Yet, global screening has languished on many companies’ to-do lists as talent managers try to understand the complexities — and their options — in rolling out a worldwide program. Non-U.S. information veriﬁcation can be more complex, with a myriad of country-speciﬁc nuances to consider. This may lead some companies to pass on screening the non-U.S. components, or forego screening of entire foreign ofﬁces. Inconsistent screening exposes a company to risk and litigation, whereas a successful global screening program leverages technology and a personal touch to ensure accuracy, security, quality of hire and regulatory compliance. There are several key components to do this effectively. Build the screening program on a global technology platform. Make data collection systematic, fast, convenient and secure, and ensure consistency in the screening process and compliance with various global datasecurity and privacy laws. For maximum impact, the global technology platform should employ Web-based technologies for accessibility and ease of use, and harmonize the applicant experience with compliance in the interface. Also, automate a system’s back end for operational efﬁciencies and data security at the process level. The system should provide metrics reporting and audits at the country, regional and global levels. Program analytics allow managers to easily evaluate the screening program and identify inconsistencies or weaknesses. Do your compliance homework. Every country has its own laws governing how information can be obtained, transmitted, used and stored. Companies must be mindful of these nuances for regulatory compliance. Regulations protect the applicant’s personal information from privacy invasion, as The Fair Credit Reporting Act does in the U.S. In Hong Kong, third parties, including employers, may not request a criminal history from police authorities; only applicants can secure such reports. Countries also store and report data differently. In Latin America, records are ﬁled by the mother’s maiden name, and in Asia Paciﬁc, a provider must understand ﬁrst name/surname combinations to retrieve records. Leverage international and local experts. Technology can help a screening program run better and faster, but it shouldn’t replace an expert human touch. Understanding local context facilitates a program’s success. Seek out professionals or providers with extensive track records and willingness to share their experiences. Industry associations or user groups are great places to ﬁnd people who have or will roll out a global screening program. Those who have been through it can avoid program blocks and act as knowledgeable sounding boards for ideas. Global experts have local researchers familiar with the laws, language and culture. HireRight recently conducted a veriﬁcation in Brazil, where the applicant claimed to hold an MBA from a prestigious university the company had contacted before. Not only did the registrar verify the degree was false, he called the police to ﬁle a complaint against the applicant. One country’s screening program does not ﬁt all. Within the constraints of differing legal and procedural requirements, companies must strive to implement a consistent screening process to demonstrate fairness to all applicants. A global screening platform is critical to a consistent policy requiring the same data or as close as possible in each country. Engage local colleagues. Policies may be set at the corporate level, but local ofﬁces will have to execute the program. A strong foundation of compliance expertise and general local knowledge can help program development, but it also will help with change management when rolling it out in the ﬁeld. Global talent managers likely will resist an American-style program. With a screening program that combines the efﬁciency and consistency of high-tech solutions with the in-depth knowledge, regulatory expertise and deep experience of experts, companies can implement global screening programs that reach as far as their companies workforces and that are fair and equitable for all. Traci Canning is director of international operations for HireRight, an employment background screening service provider. She can be reached at editor@talentmgt.com. 18 talent management magazine www.talentmgt.com http://www.talentmgt.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of TM - August 2008

TM - August 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Human Performance Leading Edge Foundations Global Background Screening Does Global Assessment Work? Global Total Renumeration: Creat One Organization Border Insecurity: Immigration Reform and Talent Management The Global Workforce: Communication Across Cultures Around the World in How Many Days? Insight: Exelon: Performance Under Pressure Special Report: Perspectives on Managing People Application: Reinventing Sales Rewards at Motorola Dashboard: Mideast Meets West Dashboard: Mergers and Acquisitions 2008 - Don’t Leave Employees Behind Editorial Resources Advertisers' Index Full Potential

TM - August 2008

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