Performing a DBS check on new employees can cut down fraud and safeguard your company, so it’s important to think about using them as part of your hiring procedure. If you’re a small business, you most likely want to reduce the amount of time and effort required to successfully perform background checks on candidates.
For example, uCheck Online Background Checks is a government-approved system offering criminal record checks for businesses and individuals. It offers various services, such as a Standard or Enhanced DBS Check to disclose whether an individual has acquired convictions, cautions, final warnings and reprimands in addition to any barred list info where appropriate.
Security and recruitment checks are often arduous and slow, so it’s useful to know whether there are easier routes that’ll help you and your small company.
The Disclosure and Barring Service, or DBS, gives small businesses the chance to ascertain who may or may not be an appropriate employee, so numerous businesses now perform a DBS check as a routine event when it comes to hiring staff.
Here are five useful tips to make background checks easy for your small business.
1. Ensure Your DBS-Checking Company is Genuine
Beware of non-registered companies providing DBS-checking services. Organisations like these aren’t allowed to apply online for DBS checks in place of employers and individuals.
For a legitimate list of the latest Registered Bodies (RBs) and Responsibility Organisations (ROs) who are registered to submit applications for DBS Checks online, on behalf of employers and people, visit GOV.UK.
These ROs and RBs ensure an on-point and authentic service, offering information that follows DBS identity guidance.
2. Overseas Employees May Require Additional Checks
If an employee doesn’t live in the UK, they may require additional checks. Since the DBS isn’t able to access criminal records overseas, its checks don’t include condemnations or warnings that a person has obtained in another country.
If an employee is a foreign national or has lived abroad for 12 months or over, you can get in touch with the High Commission or embassy for that country, so additional checks can be carried out.
To find out more about acquiring criminal record checks abroad, visit the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) website.
3. Use an Online System
To make background checks super simple, consider switching to an online system.
Rather than waiting for paper applications to be posted, you’ll be able to send data safely and promptly online. What’s more, there’s less chance of documents getting mislaid in the post.
One of the biggest causes of DBS application delays is forms that aren’t filled in properly. In which case, using an online system can drastically cut down delays.
An online system can check for irregularities while you’re filling in your application. Once you’ve completed an application and it’s awaiting submission, someone from the DBS-checking service checks each application separately. They’ll also remove any mistakes to ensure the application is legitimately suitable before submitting it for the inspection procedure with the police and DBS.
4. Prepare Applicants in Advance
Before beginning the DBS application, make sure the candidate knows what documents and material they’ll need to supply so they can have them ready in good time.
A candidate should be able to provide the following information:
- Title, forename, middle name (if appropriate) and surname
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Birth town, county and country
- Language
- A five-year address history
- Telephone number
- Birth nationality and if their nationality was changed with applicable dates
- Any previous names (with the dates they were changed)
- Any unexpended convictions
As a small business, you’ll also need to be aware of the ID checking guidelines for DBS applications.
Ensure the applicant understands which documents they’ll need to supply to verify their identity and make sure you give the candidate sufficient time to collect the relevant documents early.
You’ll need to be shown the original copies of the candidate’s documents to confirm and support their application. Be aware that scanned copies of documents aren’t permitted.
5. Proofread Applications Thoroughly
Be sure to double and triple-check applications before pressing the ‘approve’ button. Is the spelling correct? Do all details match those on the original documents you verified? Because DBS checks entail checking the Police National Computer, this check will be established from the data supplied on the form. One error could mean the whole check is nullified, so make sure it’s right.
These tips can make background checks a breeze for your small business as well as make the process as effortless and efficient as possible.