Why Companies Outsource Background Checks

Background checks can do a lot for a business. They help employers hire experienced and dependable employees. Plus, they are key to creating a safe and productive work environment. A successful background check program helps preserve and promote a company’s values, both now and with every new employee it hires. Because of this, companies must ensure that they have a secure, compliant, and dependable background screening process for their employees. To take care of this, many companies turn to third-party screening companies during their hiring process. Here are eight reasons why companies outsource background checks for their employees.

They’re the Experts

From federal regulations to what you can do with negative results, there’s a lot to learn about background checks. While companies can perform in-house background checks, they probably don’t have the same experience and expertise that a third-party screening company has. Outsourcing your background checks doesn’t just take care of the process—it also provides you with an expert information source. A good third-party screening company will work with you to answer any questions and see to any additional needs or worries you may have.

Save on Costs

As with most third-party services, outsourcing background checks provides your company with a more efficient screening process. When you conduct in-house background checks, your company must personally investigate every single job candidate. This might simply mean calling past employers or verifying academic records. However, some information requires more thorough searches.

For example, if you want to check a candidate’s criminal history, your company will have to contact various courthouses. If your candidate has lived in multiple areas and jurisdictions, this means contacting multiple judicial outlets in order to gather all relevant information. You might even have to travel in-person to some courthouses. When you consider time, travel costs, and other valuable resources, the process simply becomes too complicated for most businesses to handle efficiently. When you outsource the process, you free up your HR department’s time and energy, allowing them to focus on other parts of your company.

Legal Compliancy

Many legal standards surround the background check process. Businesses must adhere to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) as well as the various state and local regulations. This becomes even more complicated for companies that work in multiple states and therefore must follow multiple guidelines. If your company fails to meet these guidelines or misuses the information gathered in a background check, you might face a negligent hiring charge or other lawsuit. These lawsuits can majorly damage a company’s reputation—not to mention, think of all the time and money it will cost you. You can avoid these legal issues by handing the screening process off to a professional background investigation service. Third-party screening companies can safely and securely conduct background checks to meet specific regulations and industry needs.

Make Employees More Comfortable

A background screening can be a nerve-wracking process for employees and job candidates, even if they have a clean and honest record. By conducting a background check, you’re delving into an individual’s history. It can make people wary, especially when an inexperienced, in-house department handles the process. However, when you outsource background checks, you assure your employees and candidates that a professional, specialized company is handling their information. Third-party screening services are experienced in sensitive information and all the privacy laws that surround the process. When you hire these expert services, you help ease any worries your employees might have.

More Efficient Data Gathering

Professional screening companies have established connections and access to records and data. Their experience means they can quickly and thoroughly gather the information you need. While companies that conduct in-house checks often have to visit record holders in person, screening companies have access to much more efficient processes. They can often contact local, state, and national sources simultaneously, which means you get the results you need much faster than you would with an in-house check. These processes also make it harder to overlook a jurisdiction or miss any pertinent information. This offers more accurate results and allows you and your company to make informed decisions regarding current and potential employees.

Fair and Equal Treatment

One of the most important rules surrounding background checks is that all employees must undergo the same screening process. This helps ensure that companies treat every member of their staff fairly. This is one of the main reasons why companies outsource background checks. Third-party screening services offer a standardized process that treats every case equally. Screening companies focus solely on the information, and a third-party process leaves no room for favoritism or any other form of unfair treatment—intentional or not.

Ease of Access to Data

On top of collecting information for a background check, companies must also store and continually access these files. There are plenty of regulations regarding the security and use of these files. Third-party screening companies can also help with this by safely handling and storing employees’ sensitive information. This also provides companies with remarkable accessibility to these files. An electronic service such as PSI Background Screening offers multi-layered security, an easy-to-use interface, and instant access to necessary files. These services are almost always more secure and efficient than an in-house software or filing system.

Peace of Mind for Your Company

All these benefits add up to one major reason for companies to outsource the background screening process: peace of mind. When you hire a third-party expert to handle your background checks, you make sure your company gets the best information while adhering to the necessary regulations. This saves your HR department valuable time and resources. It makes a much less stressful process for your hiring team. It also helps guarantee your employees’ safety and security, their private information, and your company’s overall culture.

If you want to implement a more efficient and successful screening process for your company, PSI Background Screening can help. Our third-party employment verification services help handle and store your employees’ information in a secure and useful manner. We’ll make the entire process easier and more effective for you, allowing you to focus your time and energy on other important matters.