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Employment policies within your company are part of an important background to ensure that hiring procedures are achieving the best possible outcomes for your business. However, in our discussions with business owners, we are continually surprised at how many otherwise diligent people are reluctant to request police checks and ignore the risks that they run when hiring new staff for their company. You have a responsibility for the safety and well-being of your existing personnel when employing permanent, contractor or temporary staff. Your senior management also expect that you will act in the long-term best interests of your business. Police checks are an importantfirst step in this process. The direct cost of theft and fraud to businesses in Australia amounts to billions of dollars annually and the largest contributor to these costs is fraud. The Australian Institute of Criminology reported that fraud accounted for 40% of the losses related to crime in 2005. Surveys of fraudulent incidents reported by companies project the typical cost per incident in the region of $36,000 for minor fraud and nearly $1 million for serious fraud cases. Many thefts are not reported to police due to the concerns by business owners that shortcomings in their polices or practices will be aired publicly. The negative perception related to a fraud or major theft from the company can also make management reluctant to go public, with companies preferring to handle such matters internally. The chances of recovering funds or goods that have been stolen is also quite low, further reducing the chances that the business will report (and make public) offences against the company and thereby incur adverse publicity. So, what should business owners do to limit their exposure to crimes within their organisation? Firstly, managers take notice of the fact that perpetrators of crimes that involve deception are more willing to mislead prospective employers during the interview and application. If their record includes convictions for such crimes there is higher risk that they will make the effort to actively conceal their past record. A simple and inexpensive police check would provide evidence of an applicant's police record - usually within 24 hours. Our advice to business owners is that they should be conducting police checks without exception for all prospective employees. The price paid by the victim of crime versus the cost of preventative measures should be a persuasive argument for anyone who examines the data or the social impact of the crime within their company. Economically, it is just as risky to neglect police checks as it is to let insurance cover on your business lapse. Many managers quote convenience and security concerns when choosing how to conduct police checks. A professional background checking company can provide online ordering and delivery of police checks. You should also bear in mind that your use of the reports from a police check must comply with the Privacy Act within Australia so the provider you select should also be able to cater for secure and confidential distribution of results with your management team. Police checks are the easiest and least expensive protection you can obtain. They are a cost effective first step in preventing criminal activity within your organisation.
Article Source: http://www.onlinearticlessite.com
Michael S. Gibson is a senior consultant with CVCheck Pty Ltd based in Perth, Australia. CVCheck provides police checks and all other background checks to both organisations and individuals in Australia and overseas. Their online verification system provides secure access to check results company wide.
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