Every great company is built on the back of great employees. Employers know that and that is why they’re keen on hiring the best talents. These are employers who are qualified, dedicated, trustworthy and have the best interest of their company at heart. Filtering out such people from the wide pool of applicants is usually a complex endeavor, and that’s why employers make use of a series of background checks to ensure the quality of their hire.
Police checks are one of the most common types of background checks. They are carried out by about 86% of Australian employers. Many employers find police checks beneficial to reduce the risk of theft, fraud, or other criminal activity performed by a potential new employee. Statistics reveal that 70% of workplace theft is committed by employees, and they cost Australian retailers alone over $2.7 billion a year.
In the past decade, the rise of online police checks has streamlined the process of national police checks. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) works with Australian police agencies to deliver online police checks through accredited software companies that make the service available to employers and the general public.
Australian National Character Check (ANCC) is an accredited provider of national police checks. Over the years, they’ve helped employers, volunteer organizations, businesses, non-profits, and individuals carry out national police checks.
Here are how they’ve streamlined the entire process:
Before online checking, paper applications had to be submitted, which took weeks to complete. But with the new checking method, results are available within 1 to 3 business working days. In today’s world where competition for the best talents is fierce, a fast checking process will reduce the hiring time - which is advantageous to employers.
Just from an employer’s desk, they can request a national police check on any number of potential hires. The only requirements are a formal consent for the potential hires, and access to the internet. This frees up time for employers to do other things while tech savvy companies like Australian National Character Check take care of the rest.
Australia’s a pretty big company and carrying out a check on an employer that’s located on the opposite end of the country may seem challenging. Luckily, the ACIC makes use of an integrated database that makes obtaining criminal information for any person in Australia just a single click away.
Chances are employers are looking to carry out other screening checks in addition to national police checks. Many HR software companies offer multiple services that make it easier for employers to access the different nature of information about an applicant. It was interesting to see that even if you are travelling by taxi in Canberra, the capital city of Australia, you can be assured that the cabbie in your Canberra taxi has undergone a mandatory criminal history check through a software company like ANCC. Many employers also carry out bankruptcy checks and VEVO checks.
Conclusion
National police checks give information about the criminal past of an applicant. This helps employers decide their suitability for the role based on such crimes. For instance, a person with multiple charges of violence or who is a sex offender may threaten workplace safety. A person that’s been involved in a financial fraud might steal from their new employer. Armed with this information, employers can make sound hiring decisions. Software companies like Australian National Character Check make accessing this information easier than ever before.
