Background verification is a necessary element of recruitment. 1 in every 6 candidates were found to lie on their resume in 2017. According to another survey by CareerBuilder, more than half of the 2500 managers interviewed said they had caught the lies in their prospective employees’ resumes. While most commonly they claim non-existent skills, at least 25% claim to have worked for companies they were never part of. Other lies can be with respect to address, identity, criminal records, substance abuse and so on. Professional employee screening services providers such as AuthBridge have also found 12.14% discrepant cases during previous employment check, 6.67% discrepant cases during address and 1.56% discrepant cases during education check in 2017 (Ref: Annual Trend Report 2017) Background checks are taken seriously by companies to avoid wrong hires and preserve workplace safety.
Challenges with the old manual processes
Background checks are extensive and involve checking academic qualification, prior employment history, address checks, personal ID checks, verification of criminal records and substance abuse checking. Before the introduction of Aadhaar, the only way to check the address or identity was from voter ID or ration card. Since these documents could easily be forged or duplicated, it was really difficult to detect fraudsters. Even when companies hired professional employee screening services providers, the process would still be time-consuming and labour intensive. Runners had to be sent to government agencies or courts to gather information from various records which would take ages. School transcripts, birth registries, hospital records and so on needed to be obtained from relevant sources.
How HR technology took over and changed the picture?
With the advent of the digital era and Aadhaar, the old laborious process is now transformed. Background Verification Technology platforms make it possible to instantly verify various details of employees. HR technology makes it possible for linking of background screening functions with Applicant Tracking System (ATS). ATS is a platform which channels the data related to candidate’s background investigation directly to the vendor and the information can be stored.
Developments in Background Verification Technology
Background checks have become “smarter, faster and better” thanks to significant changes in background verification technology. Some technology evolutions include Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that is completely paperless, Applicant Generated Report (AGR) solutions and Human Resource Information System (HRIS). Both pre-recruitment and post-hiring checks including onboarding, tracking, CRM, reporting and Performance Management can be effectively managed with these technologies.
Background Verification is a key enabler of Trust between two parties. With technology enabling the process, it is now possible to build Trust in real-time with instant background checks.
TrustOnDemand is an integration of technology-enabled platforms that enable verification of three important factors including Identity, Profile and Reputation. Using eKYC, tech-enabled platforms, APIs, and Aadhaar instant background checks with accurate reports can help solve employment checks related concerns. With TrustOnDemand, making instant decision on-the-go is easy and convenient. The infrastructure helps reduce the turnaround time for hiring and screening while helping build trust in the candidate. Use of APIs, Machine learning, search analytics and Natural Language Processing in Background Verification Application Programming Interface or API is a tool that enables interaction and communication between different software. APIs can make the background screening processes faster and smoother. When integrated with HRMS, quick hiring decisions can be made.
Also Read: Are you using APIs for Background Verification?
Machine learning is being used to bridge gaps that exist in public records or other online databases. Machine learning uses available digital footprints and verifies the authenticity of input information while checking for any history of pro or antisocial behaviour. It also runs predictive analysis based on these footprints to predict the possibilities of any such future behaviour. APIs, machine learning and NLPs are the cutting-edge components of Background Verification Technology that can help streamline recruitment and business processes!
