Introduction

Hiring the right people is crucial for an organization's success and longevity. Your employees, after all, significantly affect overall organizational culture and contribute to the conduciveness of the entire work environment. As a business owner, you are responsible for finding workers who embody the company's values and help foster a cohesive and motivated team. Failure to do that can lead to a misalignment in values that can ultimately result in disengagement and conflicts among team members, which impacts productivity and even causes top talents to leave.

The impact of your hiring decisions also goes beyond daily operations. They influence the long-term success of the business since being able to find and retain competent employees can drive innovation and lead to business growth. Employing the right people can help form the foundation of a resilient and forward-thinking organization and lead to sustained success in a competitive landscape among businesses today.

You might wonder, however, how you can find the right people. This is where our services at Q2 HR Solutions become indispensable. We can help you conduct pre-employment screening processes among your candidates in the Philippines and ensure that they fit well in your organization. With our assistance, you can ascertain if the information in your applicants’ resumes – including their educational achievements, employment background, and possible criminal history – is correct and factual.

Contact us for more information about our services. If you are still in a dilemma about whether you should hire us to conduct pre-employment background checks, reading this article will be beneficial. We have summarized all the important things you need to know about the service to help you make a more informed decision.

 

Understanding Pre-Employment Screening 

When hiring people to join your team, you follow a rigorous process to ensure that you can filter out applicants who do not possess the right skills or competencies. You conduct multiple rounds of interviews and sometimes even perform evaluation exams. They are highly effective in determining if a candidate has the abilities they claim to have in their resume, but they are sometimes not enough. This is why many of the most successful businesses in the Philippines conduct pre-hiring background checks.

The process, also known as pre-employment screening, provides valuable insights into a candidate's past experiences, verifying their professional and personal history. By doing so, you can gain a better or more nuanced understanding of their character, ethics, and overall suitability for your team.

This holistic approach aims to comprehensively evaluate a candidate's potential for seamless integration into your team and overall work environment. Both technical abilities and soft skills will be assessed because they are integral to the success of your organization. By conducting pre-employment background checks, you can ensure that the people you hire have principles that align with your organization's values and skills needed to fill your vacant positions.

Pre-employment screening can be done by your internal human resources department, as long as they have the skills to do so. They can check public documents and databases or even speak with the character references the applicant provided in their resume. In some cases, background screening can also involve having a peek through the candidate's social media accounts to ensure that they are not publishing content that is too controversial or misaligns with the principles of your organization.

If such processes prove too much for your current HR department, you can hire a third-party team instead. Companies like Q2 HR Solutions are here to help.

 

The Key Components of Comprehensive Screening 

Each part of pre-employment background screening services in the Philippines serves a specific purpose. Here is a quick overview of the key components:

Background Checks 

Background checks are done to examine a candidate's history. This usually involves assessing the candidate’s criminal history by searching through various public records and databases for convictions or pending charges. This is not to discriminate against applicants with criminal records; instead, it is done to determine if they have already undergone the proper rehabilitation procedures and ensure the safety of the organization’s current employers and customers.

Educational Credential Verification

Education verification is a common practice in the background screening process to ensure that candidates possess the required academic credentials for the positions they are applying for. This is often done in sensitive industries that require licenses and certifications.

The process of educational credential verification involves confirming the accuracy and legitimacy of the academic qualifications listed by a candidate on their resume or job application. The educational institutions can be contacted directly to ensure that the candidate has actually been awarded the degrees, licenses, diplomas, or medals they claim to have.

Reference Verification 

The process of professional reference checks is a crucial component of the background screening process. It involves reaching out to individuals the candidate has listed as references in their job application or resume. These references are typically individuals who have previously worked with the candidate professionally, such as former supervisors, colleagues, or even clients.

During the check, the background screener may inquire about various aspects of the candidate's work history and performance. This includes their overall work ethic, interpersonal skills, and other important factors that may affect how they perform their jobs or collaborate with their teammates.

 

Benefits of Thorough Pre-Employment Screening

Conducting a thorough employee background screening in the Philippines offers several benefits, including:

Reducing Hiring Risks 

Background screenings are pivotal in minimizing hiring risks by ensuring that candidates possess the qualifications and skills they claim. Through thorough verification processes, you can identify individuals who may lack the necessary competencies for the position. You can then keep them out of your talent pool and focus on interviewing people with the skills and abilities you seek.

Criminal history checks also act as an extra layer of risk mitigation. They help you avoid hiring individuals with a history of activities that could pose threats to the workplace and endanger your current employees and clients. Meanwhile, reference checks can provide valuable insights into a candidate’s work ethic and conduct. This is an excellent way to weed out individuals with a history of employee misconduct or unethical behavior in the workplace.

Ensuring a Safe Workplace 

The safety of your workplace is paramount, and background screenings contribute significantly to this aspect. Employers can create a secure environment by identifying potential risks, such as criminal histories or aggressive behavior. This benefits not just your customers and current employees but your entire organization.

By providing a safe and secure workplace, you can retain your top talents and provide them with reasons to stay. Of course, this significantly impacts your production and business operations.

Building Trust With Clients and Partners 

A thorough background screening process demonstrates your organization's commitment to due diligence in hiring processes. This commitment builds trust among your current and future clients and business partners. By keeping away individuals with a history of fraud or unethical behavior, you can protect your reputation and integrity as an organization.

 

Choosing the Right Pre-Employment Background Screening Service Provider

Q2 HR Solutions is your trusted partner when it comes to conducting pre-employment screening processes in the Philippines. Our commitment to meticulous and comprehensive background checks helps ensure that your hiring decisions are based on accurate and reliable information. We have many years of expertise in the field, so we understand the intricacies, unique challenges, and considerations in the country's current job market.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Pre-Employment Screening in the Philippines

Does HR Do Background Checks? 

Yes, your own HR department is typically responsible for overseeing background checks during the hiring process. However, there is nothing wrong with your organization’s HR team collaborating with external background screening services, like Q2 HR Solutions.

By working with us, your HR department can focus on more important aspects of the hiring process, such as finding leads or facilitating interviews. Meanwhile, our team can be assigned to tasks involving different parts of background checks, like educational verification and criminal record screening.

What Does HR Look for When Hiring Candidates? 

It varies from one organization to another, but in many cases, HR professionals look for a combination of skills and qualities that align with the job requirements and the company's values. The evaluation process can take a while because it involves double-checking a candidate's educational background, professional history, and possible criminal records. HR departments usually hire third-party background screening companies, like Q2 HR Solutions, to make the procedure more efficient.

What Is Initial HR Screening? 

Often, the first step of the hiring process is the Initial HR screening. Members of the HR team will review resumes, cover letters, and initial job applications to identify potential candidates. During this stage, the department focuses on the basic eligibility criteria, such as educational qualifications, relevant work experience, and key skills that align with the candidate’s resume and the posted job description.

 

Conclusion

Indeed, pre-employment background screening is integral to hiring new employees in the Philippines. It ensures that the people you employ fit well in your organization and have the right qualifications. The process can be tedious, so it is beneficial to hire a third-party company, like Q2 HR Solutions.

Our screening services can help you verify a candidate’s educational background, employment history, criminal records, and other information you deem important when hiring an individual. We adhere to the highest ethical standards when performing our services and deliver results promptly.

Contact our team today for more information about our services.