October 26th, 2016 | Sterling

The Risks of a Bad Hiring Decision

We all know that the hiring process is just that….a process. From recruiting to onboarding a new candidate, there are many key aspects to hiring new personnel. Finding the perfect candidate can be like finding a needle in a haystack, so for lots of employers, it’s tempting to hire these people right away without going through some due diligence or background checks on the applicants. What if these candidates turn out to be different from what you originally thought during the interview? Many studies have found that not everyone is truthful on their resume or job applications. According to HR.com, 53% of job applications contain inaccurate information with 34% of all application forms containing outright lies about experience, education and the ability to perform the basic functions of the job.

Risks of a Bad Hire

The impact of one bad hire can spread through the entire company and leave behind harmful consequences to the company’s reputation, employee morale and even financial assets. Robert Half surveyed CFOs about what they thought were the biggest impacts of having a bad hire and found that 39% stated bad hiring decisions led to lower staff morale, followed by lost productivity at 34% and monetary cost at 25%.

There are many risks associated with poor hiring decisions. “How to Avoid a Bad Hire” explores these risks and what you can do to prevent them from happening. Some of these risks include:

  • Financial: The financial implications of a bad hire can be endless. Costs are accrued from the time of recruitment through onboarding. If a new hire doesn’t work out, they will need to be replaced, which then adds time and money back into recruiting, hiring and training their replacement. There could be behaviours and actions that financially impact a business directly, including fraud, bullying, violent behaviour and reduced productivity.
  • Workplace Safety: Violence in Canadian workplaces is a real and concerning issue. Statistics Canada found that 17% of self-reported violent incidents such as sexual assault, robbery and physical assault happened in the workplace and 38% of the victims knew their attackers. The rise of bullying is also becoming an issue within the workplace.
  • Brand and Reputation: Bad hiring decisions can affect a company’s brand and reputation. A company with a tarnished brand could find a harder time recruiting and attracting new candidates. For smaller companies, it could be devastating to trying to get investors and partners.
  • Employee Morale and Corporate Culture: As shown above, one of the biggest impacts of bad hiring decision is on employee morale. The bad hire causes a ripple throughout the organization causing stress and unhappiness amongst the good employees, which could lead to dissatisfaction and high turnover rates.

How to Make Good Hiring Decisions

Diligent background screening is the first line of defense against poor hiring decisions. Employee screening checks can range from a basic criminal records check to a more thorough investigation including reference interviews, credit bureau inquiries, identity cross checks, employment verification, education and certification reviews and in some cases, drivers abstracts. However, it is important to find the balance in the need for a comprehensive background check with the cost and your candidate’s history. A background check should only investigate the aspects of the candidate’s past that are relevant to the position.

Implementing a good background screening policy for your company is vital to helping you make the right hiring decisions. The policy should outline the objectives, process and types of background checks for each position and how the results of the tests will affect hiring decisions. Consult with your legal counsel to ensure your organization is compliant with local regulatory guidelines. Choosing the right third party background screening company is important to getting the information that you need about your candidates in an accurate and efficient manner.

Don’t let bad hiring decisions negatively affect your business. Find out more tips and information about the risks of a bad hire and how to avoid them here.

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