For security directors and company executives, protecting a company’s people and assets encompasses the implementation of a wide variety of different solutions. For some this might be the addition of video surveillance or an employee card-based ID system. Still for others it might involve the use of information security policies to protect company data. -

Perhaps overlooked by some security directors, however, is the need to make sure the people working for the organization are honest, safe and legally qualified to work. One of the best ways that companies can make sure that its employees are on the “up and up” is to conduct background screenings on new employees in sensitive positions. More and more often, corporations turn to companies that specialize in such background screenings. However, before selecting a screening firm, companies must make sure the screening firm has the necessary tools at its disposal to ensure that the information about the potential hire is both timely and accurate.

According to Jim Collins, president of HR Plus, a division of AlliedBarton which conducts background screenings, one of the first recommendations he makes to clients is to consult with an expert in their industry to examine what their risks are. Knowing the company’s overall risk exposure tells both the security director and the screening firm what they need to look for when screening new hires.

“They really have to understand what their risk is first. Once they understand that piece of it, they can come to a background screening company or if the background screening company has an industry expert… we can tell them what to use, what package and searches to use to make it a better option for them to hire the correct person,” Collins said.

Collins added that just as important as an initial screening is to consider doing a follow-up check on employees. He said that some companies should even consider an annual check.

“All too often, companies are very careful about who they hire, but once they hire somebody, they never recheck that individual for years, if at all,” Collins said.

Bill Whitford, senior vice president and general manager of workplace solutions for LexisNexis owned ChoicePoint, a background screening firm based in Alpharetta, Ga., suggests that businesses do some checking themselves before hiring a screening firm. Whitford says that a company needs to make sure that the screening firm is reputable and has good references. He added that it’s also important to understand what its security and privacy policies are (i.e. how is their data warehoused and maintained), and whether the screening firm is financially stable.