Background Verification (BGV) is referred to as checking or authenticating the documents that a candidate has provided during his/her joining an organization. This not only is limited to checking the supporting documents like Date of Birth, Educational Qualifications, and Experience etc. but also may cover Credit Score Check, Criminal Database Verification, and Drug Check depending on the company mandate and nature of job.
Best Practices for conducting BGV:
With Consent & Legally: The most important aspect of BGV is disclosure to the candidate that BGV will be carried out once he/she joins the organization. Also consequences in case of negative report must be explained to the candidate. This leads to transparency and trust between both the parties.
Companies must get the BGV document filled up by the client and get his/her signed consent authorizing the organization to carry out specific/listed BGV checks through 3 party vendor. (As most of the organizations outsource this to 3rd Party vendors).
This helps is setting candidate expectation and also legally covers the organization in case of any dismissal or dispute.
Be diligent and thorough: Employees are the important asset for any organization. It is better that while getting the testimonials checked one must be specific and thorough. The company must have documented BGV check lists that is mandatory across the organization and also additional ones those are required due to role or position of the job. This will remove any ambiguity and will not be people dependent.
Documentation: Each report must follow a set pattern and every remark like RED/YELLOW/GREEN must be clearly backed by written or documentary evidence. This helps is dispute resolutions.
Eg: In case a University certificate is fake the document or the mail trail must clearly establish that the same has originated from the concerned University/college.
Confidentiality: Each employee document submitted to the company should be treated as confidential and all effort must be made at company and 3rd Party Vendors end to safeguard the same. The final report irrespective of the outcome must also be kept strictly confidential and only circulated or accessed by authorised persons.
Communication or Exchange of Information: Communication is critical in aspect of work and the same is true in case a BGV report comes negative. It is of utmost importance that the organization engages with the candidate and explains the report. Any clarification, misconception etc. can be ironed out in such interactions. This also gives the candidate to explain their version and an opportunity to clear any such misreporting etc.
Outsourcing of BGV: Most of the companies outsource this activity to 3rd party vendor and this is best way to manage this. Benefits of outsourcing:
• These are cost effective.
• The BGV companies have better networking to manage physical address verifications, educational qualification verification etc.
• They have the expertise in getting accurate and efficient reporting.
• As they manage this activity daily they keep the company covered legally wrt to state or central laws and also have well documented evidences to support in case of any dispute.
While in the market there are lots of agencies managing this activity, but it is advisable to look for an agency that has better credentials in the market. Do not decide only by looking at the cost.