Three Reasons A Small Business Needs To Run Background Checks On Job Applicants
Pre-employment background checks are routinely done by a large majority of corporations in the country. Clearly, there is an advantage in doing this, but as a small business owner, you should understand that there are advantages for you to do it too. The following are a few reasons you should run this type of check before hiring someone.
It can save your business from theft
The last thing that any business owner needs is to hire someone who has been convicted of theft. Of course, if a conviction for theft was far enough in the past, you may want to overlook it. However, it may depend upon the specifics of the crime. For example, if it was ten years ago, when the applicant was much younger, they may have matured greatly. In addition, if the theft was not related to the business you're in, it may not be a factor. If the crime was grand theft auto, and you are selling retail clothing, you may not be concerned. But anytime you are involved in the retail business, you must be careful. A clever thief can steal from a business owner for a long time without detection. Hiring anyone with a criminal record with stealing can be problematic.
It can protect your business from losing customers
One bad employee can cost your business many customers. This is especially true if you're a professional business with clients. A bad employee can hurt your reputation and reduce your revenue. A lot of hard work can be thrown away quickly because you didn't take the time to do a background check. Of course, after you've had this experience, you will likely find out about the employee, and you will understand that it could have been prevented with a pre-employment screening.
It can protect your business from a lawsuit
If you hire someone who has violence in their background, as is evident due to a conviction for a violent crime such as domestic violence, you are taking a high risk. And without a background check, you won't even be aware of it. If this person were to harm a fellow employee, or they were to harm a customer with physical violence, the result would likely be a lawsuit. And of course, the first thing a lawyer is going to ask is why you didn't run a criminal background check on this person. The case will be strong, so your insurance company will likely settle out of court if they can. But regardless, you will be losing money because your insurance premiums for liability coverage are likely to go up substantially.
There are many companies that offer pre-employment background checks. The results can often be returned to you quickly. As you look at the cost of these checks, think of the reasons above for running a background check and realize that this type of service will save you money in the long run.
Contact a pre-employment background check service provider to learn more.
