In an increasingly pressurised economic environment, the significance of effective and competent staffing has become even more far reaching. Screening of prospective employees is a critical element in the protection of a company’s assets, staff and brand.

“Despite the marginal decrease in the unemployment rate to 26.7% in the last quarter of 2017 according to the latest Stats SA survey, there remains a certain amount of desperation amongst job seekers,” says Rudi Kruger, general manager of Lexis Nexis Data Services. “This can lead to prospective employees falsifying information such as qualifications and experience on CV’s and applications.”

“Employees are a company’s biggest investment with regards to time, resources, training and money expended. The risks of hiring a candidate who is not qualified for the role, or who has a criminal record that has been hidden are increased if comprehensive candidate screening is not carried out. This makes reference and experience checks crucial in the employment process,” says Kruger.

Areas that are often embellished upon in job applications include work experience and previous periods of employment. “Employees want to look qualified for the role offered to secure the position and the salary. They also want to show that they are dependable and stable by being employed for longer,” adds Kruger. “They may also exaggerate the time they worked at a company to hide periods of incarceration or dismissal due to theft or lack of performance.”

Lexis® RefCheck gives employers and recruitment agencies peace of mind, providing 24/7 online access to verify the personal details of a candidate prior to offering employment. Background screening verifications offered include criminal record checks, credit reports, matric and tertiary qualifications checks, identity verifications and fraud listings, driving licences and professional driving permits as well Fit & Proper and FAIS Comprehensive Checks.

Delivering quality assured verifications with integrity and speed, complete transparency and in an affordable manner, Lexis® RefCheck is an essential tool for human resource management and staff recruitment.