This article looks into how Social Media checks can have a role in employment screening for your new employees.
We all know that bad hires can have detrimental effects on your business. The cost is significantly higher than just their salary as the negative impact on reputation or team moral can be challenging to say the least. A high turnover of staff creates instability within a business and can affect its day to day functioning of a business. In short, smart hiring decisions will always be a critical challenge for any business.
So, should we do more when screening new hires?
Social Media is used almost universally in the modern day. It’s now the most popular form of communication. While obtaining references and database checks are useful in helping to confirm that someone has the relevant work experience and verifies their CV, it’s only a part of who that person is.
There is a huge amount of data on social media and wider media sources that can help uncover details that a employee may prefer to hide. By using this data or “Online Footprint” it gives a perspective on how an individual engages with the wider world and gives an insight on how they interact with others.
While most people we screen use social media and the internet in a responsible way, there are cases where we have uncovered racist, sexist, homophobic, graphic content and illegal activity on the “Dark Web”. All this information would be missed if it wasn’t for performing these checks. What may be even more surprising is the fact that this has not just been found at junior levels but also within senior positions too.
The final decision will rest with the potential employer however and there may be instances where employees appear to be “angry” online and would potentially benefit from some coaching on how our online and real-world personal brands are now closer than ever.
To ensure that your employee is the right fit your team and company culture, add social media checks to your existing employment screening checks. Don’t be the last to see information that is freely available for the world to see (including your clients, fellow colleagues and competitors).
If you would like to know more information about social media checks and investigative online due diligence checks, please give us a call on 0203 1500 775.
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