Australian laws have very strict requirements for jobs in many fields, where background checks are mandatory to prevent abuse or fraud. This is the case for healthcare, teaching positions or financial institutions. What about other economic fields where such checks are not mandated by law although the risks are pretty much similar? It is up to the industries themselves to decide on whether or not to impose pre-employment background checks. The law allows it, getting a background check has never been easier, all that’s needed is the will to self-regulate and keep businesses and employees safe.
What types of businesses should impose background checks?
To understand this you need to look at the domains where such checks are mandated by law. Take, for instance, the healthcare system. Doctors and nurses are required to submit to background checks to prove they do not pose a threat to the vulnerable people in their care. The same goes for teachers who must prove they were never convicted of sexual offences or violent crimes, to ensure the children they work with will be safe.
This brings us to the very definition of vulnerability. Yes, children, the elderly or the disabled are the most vulnerable members of our society. But they’re not the only ones.
Businesses that cater to women
Let’s assume that a company employing large numbers of women hires a supervisor. What if this guy has a record full of sexual abuse offences? Can you allow such an individual to be in charge of a factory where women account for the majority of the workforce. That’s like putting a wolf in charge of a flock of sheep.
Industries for women that employ large numbers of women should make sure to screen new employees to make sure they are not dangerous sexual predators.
At the same time, businesses that have many women clients should introduce a simple background check to ensure the safety of their customers. Department stores, beauty parlors, gyms and spas should not hesitate to implement pre-employment background checks to avoid putting their clients at risk and losing their reputation.
IT Departments
People working in IT have full access to a company’s most sensitive data, including financial accounts, business strategies, or the development of new products. This makes them extremely vulnerable and HR managers should use background checks to screen for potential fraudsters, thieves or people involved with any kind of criminal activity.
Common ways to obtain a background check?
Implementing rigorous pre-employment screening should not add to the HR managers’ workload. To keep things simple, Australian businesses tend to use online background check services like the ANCC – link https://www.australiannationalcharactercheck.com.au which transform a tedious and time-consuming task into a quick formality with less red tape.
A company can set up a business account with an online character check agency and have them process all their background checks. It only takes a few minutes to order a background check on a new employee and the result is delivered via email in a few business days.
Alternatively, you can choose the route of sending your candidates into a post office (e.g. an Australia Post outlet). That will be useful if your workforce is old and not good with getting a background check online.
Once HR managers have the certainty that a job applicant is no threat to the employees, customers and business partners they can proceed to hire them.
