High Turnover Rate Sectors: You NEED to Perform Background Checks
Sarah Baldeo
In the world of background screening, there are vulnerable sectors where it is imperative to perform background checks for the sake of public safety. The term VSS refers to Vulnerable Sector Search. This applies to instances where an individual will be working with children or the elderly. However, VSSs are not available to corporations to conduct.
There are many different types of searches an organization might want to perform based on the job description of the role, for example, any situation where the applicant is responsible for valuable goods, in charge of mitigating food contamination, or even simple interaction with the public. In fact, one would be hard-pressed to name a single occupation where background checks wouldn’t improve the quality of hires, where being cognizant of an applicant’s criminal history wouldn’t be valuable when making a hiring decision.
The logic for NOT doing a background screening typically comes from one of three areas; there is a high rate of employee turnover, the cost of a background check is too high to justify, or the risk of a bad hire is worth saving the time and money needed to screen a possible candidate effectively.
High turnover rates are either attributed to adverse working conditions or a poor job fit. Individuals who consent to a background screening will typically only do so if they have a clean record and can verify the information that they have provided. By subjecting employees to background checks, you mitigate the risk of running low retention rates.
The cost of a bad hire has long been explored, documented, and proven to impact your bottom line, brand perception, and existing employee morale. A background check is an investment and could certainly be a cost absorbed by the employee even in situations where the role is temporary.
When one considers just how quickly a background check can be produced (1-4 hours), saving time by not doing a background screening, doesn’t hold water.
Ultimately by NOT screening an employee, you are comfortable with the risk of employing potentially high-risk individuals.
