Enabling Technology

Tech to the Rescue

Integration and mobile applications are improving the vetting process for organizations and candidates alike.

By Debbie Bolla

It’s quite a dilemma. Organizations can put themselves in a compromising position if they don’t have a background screening process. Candidates continue to fabricate details: HireRight‘s 2017 Employment Screening Benchmark Report found that 77 percent of organizations report that screening revealed an issue with a candidate that would have not be discovered otherwise. But having a background screening program can also put companies in jeopardy. A recent CareerBuilder survey found 68 percent of candidates continue looking for a job while a background check is being issued. So what’s the solution? A faster, more efficient process that mitigates organizational risk while providing a positive candidate experience. But how? By integrating background screening services with applicant tracking systems (ATSs) or HRIS management systems.

“Integrated technology creates an efficient ability to order, track status, view results, and provide individualized assessment in seamless workflow,” says Ben Goldberg, CEO of Aurico, a CareerBuilder company.

These improvements are big benefits for HR and can help streamline the entire process. But what about the second part of the equation -the candidates?

“Integrated technology plays a critical role in not only improving efficiency for HR professionals, but also providing a more efficient and improved candidate experience through a more intuitive interface resulting in faster onboarding times,” says Matt Jaye, vice president of sales for Corporate Screening Services, Inc.

Increasing onboarding times and improving the overall candidate experience will help decrease talent dropoff rates. And with 35 percent of organizations looking to improve the candidate experience from application through onboarding, according to HireRight’s survey, integration should be a strong consideration. When systems “talk” to each other, the administrative burdens of screening -the paperwork, scheduling, tracking -is taken off of HR’s shoulders. Talent acquisition leaders can shift their focus to communicating with and courting top candidates.

The intuitive nature of today’s systems show how much screening technology has evolved. Jayne says platforms can now automatically initiate background check requests and connect with candidates directly to collect missing data without skipping a beat. “This all adds up to improved turnaround times, a reduction in data entry errors, and removal of administrative burdens,” he says.

Mobile applications have made great strides as well. “Mobile applications, email alerts, and mobile links can be used for end users to input information or customers in charge of the background check itself,” says Mike Chalenski, president and CEO of CSS Inc. “Mobile capabilities provide 24/7 access with on-the-go features to strengthen hiring processes and expedite results.”

Adoption rates of mobile screening applications are slowing gaining speed. The 2017 Employment Screening Benchmark Report finds that 29 percent of organizations have a mobile-friendly screening process to ensure a positive candidate experience. But because of the opportunity to increase time-to-hire rates and satisfaction in the overall hiring process, the same survey found that 22 percent of those organizations not currently leveraging mobile applications report they are likely to implement them in the next year.

And with good reason. Mobile applications now have the ability to manage the entire process. Organizations on the fence, should consider this innovative example that Jaye of Corporate Screening Services shares. One organization integrated the drug screening process with mobile wallet applications like Apple Passbook and Google Wallet. This allows them to directly deposit drug testing forms into candidates’ virtual wallets on their smartphones, similar to a boarding pass. The mobile pass provides easy access to critical information about the collection date and site. It also automatically integrates with additional smartphone features like the calendar and map apps. This helps the candidate make their appointment through automatic reminders and loaded GPS instructions.

“Beyond just being ‘cool’ technology, the system is proven to reduce the number of missed appointments,” says Jaye. “Because it’s completely paperless, candidates don’t have to worry about forgetting to print up a paper form, a huge plus for providing a great candidate experience.”

The workforce is changing quickly, and thankfully for organizations and HR teams, technology is keeping pace. This is no different for the background screening process. “Technology can be utilized to quicken processes, allowing human resource decision makers to make a hiring decision faster,” says Chalenski. “Fast and convenient technological features not only allow the applicant to have a positive experience during the hiring process, but to also gain trust in their screening provider.”

Tags: Enabling Technology

Related Articles