It’s the job of every employer to keep their workers safe. It’s not only a responsibility toward workers, but it’s also about reducing liability, keeping productivity high and turnover low.
While no one can see into the future to predict how effective a candidate will be as an employee, background checks can go a long way toward ensuring that employers are doing their best to keep their workplaces safe.
Substance Abuse Checks
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), more than 15 percent of Americans are living with a substance abuse problem. This statistic is alarming for several reasons. For employers, it means that it’s more challenging than ever to keep a drug-free workplace. Many employers perceive the problem is worsening with the advent of legal marijuana in many states.
Drug use by employees or in the workplace can lead to an unsafe environment, a less productive environment and more employee absenteeism and turnover. You have a responsibility to keep all your employees safe, so it’s in your organization’s best interest to hire drug-free candidates.
Criminal Background Checks
When you’re making hiring decisions, it’s critical you have all the information relevant to the position you’re trying to fill. Quality background screening can identify criminal histories that applicants may not be revealing. These screenings help companies to hire the right candidates for their organization and ensure that the candidate won’t put other employees or the company’s assets in jeopardy.
Consider Drug Testing and Background Checks for a Safer Workplace
Drug testing has shown to improve workplace safety and productivity and reduce employer liability. Criminal background checks yield similar results, helping companies ensure that new employees haven’t been convicted of crimes that may be relevant to their job description.
Be Sure to Stay within the Law
Job candidates do have rights, and they may vary from state to state. When you conduct background and drug tests, ensure they’re properly structured and that you’re staying within the boundaries of both federal law and any laws your state may have to prevent you from using certain data against candidates. A professional background check organization can help you with this.
Seek Professional Services
DataCheck, a provider of pre-employment background checks, drug tests and screening services, offers a comprehensive search of the major social media platforms to gain insight into a candidate’s online behavior and appropriateness based on your company’s basic code of conduct and values. The service can help uncover evidence of criminal behavior, unprofessional conduct or lies, and misrepresentation about experience and education. The goal is to prevent the hiring of candidates who aren’t a good fit or who could even be a danger to the company’s existing employees and reputation.
Contact us for more information on the ways DataCheck can help with screening candidates via social media and other means
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