2021 Baker's Best - 46

TOP PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING PROVIDERS
expectations and enhancing the candidate experience.
" A key metric is completion time and how that affects
onboarding and training. Be sure your background
screening process fits into your hiring needs. Delays in
completion could affect production and company growth,
so be sure you work with your provider to understand
expectations for a successful partnership, " says Capwell.
He recommends that organizations establish service level
agreements with set timing goals based on the complexity
of the background search. International screening could
cause delays, so that should be communicated up front.
* Number of checks. Employers should also track the
number of background checks they order per team,
location, and hire.
" As an employer, you may benefit from metrics that indicate
volume by order and volume by applicant-learning where
your organization is having to hire the most candidates
and where you are creating new roles versus backfilling
positions, " says Thompson.
These metrics can reveal potential challenges, showing the
parts of the company where hiring managers are struggling
to find suitable hires or screen candidates consistently.
* Drug testing positivity rates. " If your organization
conducts drug testing, it may make sense to track positivity
rates as well, " says Shoemaker. " If you find that drug
positivity rates are high among candidates, for example, it
could make the business case for implementing a random
drug testing program at your organization to deter drug
use post-hire. "
* Screening data accuracy. HR leaders should also track the
accuracy of background checks as well as the number of
customer disputes.
" Accuracy issues could cause delays or even liability to
your organization. Have your screening provider report
monthly on accuracy issues. In addition, there should be a
clear understanding of what went wrong, what controls
are in place to ensure accuracy, and what will be done for
continuous improvement, " says Capwell.
By keeping an eye on these metrics, organizations can be
more strategic and agile in their approach. " Screening
data can help HR leaders understand which screening
products or searches yield the most useful results for their
organizations, " explains Thompson. " Having insight into
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BAKER'S BEST 2021 - www.hrotoday.com
your organization's priorities and which searches yield the
most frequently used data for informing hiring decisions is
crucial to reducing cost as well as streamlining processes and
mitigating hiring-related risks. Conversely, the data gleaned
from background screenings can also highlight areas in
need of deeper investment or different types of products,
such as role-specific screening packages versus a broader
spectrum of searches. "
For best results, organizations should be prepared to come
to the table with their service partners throughout the year
to discuss performance metrics.
" Establish benchmarks around metrics that makes sense for
your program, " suggests Capwell. " Document the metrics
and revisit each throughout the year to discuss performance
with your partner. Be sure they come prepared to discuss
anything that falls outside the norm and establish metrics
for continued improvement. Revisit your screening policy
and program at least yearly to have an in-depth discussion
around your program. Understand any compliance
changes that could affect your program. Discuss potential
new products that could enhance your program or new
technologies that could innovate the screening process and
onboarding workflow. "
With data in hand, organizations and their partners may
find ways to make their process more efficient. For example,
Capwell says that using a candidate portal can save time
by allowing candidates to submit information digitally.
Likewise, ATS or HRIS integration can help speed up data
transfer.
" Background screening data can uncover trends among
your employee populations and can highlight areas
where you may be overspending. One of the ways HR can
achieve cost savings is by analyzing the number of searches
conducted on the average new hire. We've worked with
organizations who were overspending by paying a la
carte prices for multiple criminal searches when they could
be reducing costs by partnering with their background
screening provider to build a screening package that better
suits their needs, " Shoemaker explains.
At the end of the day, understanding the data behind a
background screening program can help organizations
refine their hiring strategies, save on costs, and reduce
compliance risk. However, close partnership, collaboration,
and transparency with the screening partner is a must.
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