Recruitment is a complex and expensive process in many industries, and one that you need to get just right. There are a number of different tools that recruiters can use, one of which is the DBS check. By carrying out background checks on candidates for certain roles, employers can develop a more informed picture of the kind of person they’re bringing into the company, potentially avoiding serious incidents as a result. Here, we take a closer look at the role DBS checks play, and how they can help you to make an informed hiring decision.
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A legal requirement
Before we even get into the practical benefits, it’s important to note that in many cases, it’s a legal requirement to carry out DBS checks. For certain roles, such as those in the healthcare and legal sectors, carrying out either a standard or enhanced DBS check can be necessary in order to achieve regulatory compliance. If you’re not sure whether the role you’re hiring for is regulated in this way, it’s generally best to reach out to a background check umbrella organisation such as Personnel Checks, to get further context-specific advice.
Uncovering hidden pasts – DBS Checks
While a lot of recruitment processes include the need to disclose criminal backgrounds, one study found that a massive 78% of people lie during the recruitment process. While not all of these lies will be significant or even dangerous, some of them will be. DBS checks help to ensure that you don’t inadvertently hire someone with a serious history of criminal activity, minimising the probability that you make a bad hiring decision.
Creating a safe workplace
Ultimately, everyone wants to feel safe at work. People want to be able to trust one another, at least on the big things, and feel like they’re not going to come into harm’s way. DBS checks are a great tool that recruiters can leverage to create a safe, open workplace in which people can trust one another. Employees don’t have to look at their coworkers while wondering if they have a violent past – they can simply get on with the job at hand.
Protecting the brand – DBS Checks
By filtering out people who lie about their criminal background, you can take important steps towards protecting your brand. If someone comes into your business with criminal intentions, they could harm both your employees and customers, and in doing so, permanently damage your brand. This is something to keep in mind during the recruitment process – your brand can take decades to develop, but it can be permanently sullied by a single bad decision.
In the modern competitive job market, recruiters need to use every tool at their disposal to make sure they make the right decision. DBS checks can make it a lot easier to make informed hiring decisions, protecting your employees, customers, and your brand. In more tightly regulated industries, it’s often a legal requirement to carry out these checks. If you’re ever unsure, it’s worth reaching out to a professional service, to make sure that you’re not breaching any requirements of your niche.