Dive Brief:
- Employers continue to hire contingent, contract and temporary workers to fill their open positions, and screening this “extended workforce” has become critical, according to a recent survey. In fact, 81% of respondents say they screen contingent workers, almost double those that did so five years ago (48%), according to HireRight's 2016 Employment Screening Benchmark Report.
- Additionally, the report, which surveyed 3,500 HR, recruiting, security and management professionals, found that 19% of respondents said they screened candidates with non-U.S. backgrounds, up from 15% in 2015. Of the 19% that do screen candidates with non-U.S. backgrounds, 70% have or plan to put a global screening policy in place.
- In another finding related to how screening is changing with the times, medical marijuana laws are forcing employers to rethink their screening practices, with 23 states and the District of Columbia allowing medical marijuana use and four states allowing recreational use. Yet, only 5% of respondents reported having a policy for medical marijuana use.
Dive Insight:
The benchmark survey from HireRight, which provides global background verifications and drug and health testing, generally revealed a positive hiring outlook for 2016 and beyond, with 77% of organizations expecting to expand their workforces within the next year.
Mary O’Loughlin, vice president of global customer experience at HireRight, explains that as employers invest in expanding their employee base, they increasingly look to non-traditional employees, such as contingent workers. And the contingent worker dynamic means it's even more important than ever to institute a thorough screening process while looking to bring the most qualified candidates.
The survey revealed the majority of employers are finding it difficult to keep up with hiring needs, as 53% reported finding, retaining and developing talent as their top business challenge. To manage these talent challenges, businesses are planning to invest in: finding qualified job candidates (65%), keeping good employees/employee turnover (55%), making HR processes more efficient (43%), developing leaders within the organization (37%) and improving the candidate experience (34%).
