Employee Screening—What’s ‘Good Enough’?

In an article published in the July / August issue of Staffing Success, Allen Nelson provides insight into the employee screening process and which criteria are the most important. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, there are nine million American job seekers who can't find jobs, and more than nine million jobs that aren't getting filled. So, why don't we just match up the job seekers with the unfilled jobs? According to Nelson, one contributing factor is employers using the same exacting screening processes they used prepandemic in an environment that might call for, say, a somewhat lighter touch.

"There is no question: The world of screening is changing," said Nelson, adding that, "This is particularly true in connection with drug screening and criminal background checks."

Clients certainly will continue to utilize screening processes when hiring new employees and will require staffing companies to do the same. Employee screening remains an integral component of the hiring process. 

"On the other hand, employers may need to temper their screening processes to account for challenges that exist in the current market. There aren’t always candidates with the full complement of skills or experience to completely satisfy the employer’s requirements," said Nelson.