How HumanResourceProfessionals
View the Useand Effectivenessof Background
ScreeningMethods

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MAY 2018

ExclusiveHR.com
ResearchHow Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

Contents
Executive Summary

3

The Universal Utilization of Background Checks

4

Prioritization of Safety Remains the Top Concern

5

Accuracy Is Paramount

6

Multiple Types of Entities Use Background Checks, Usually After a Job Is Offered

7

Many Employers Are Thinking Globally and Value Access to International Screening
Capabilities

8

What Is, and Isn’t, a Common Component of a Background Check92

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How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

Executive Summary
In an increasingly global economy, employers
are rightfully placing a premium on the safety ofemployees and the community. Employers continue
to utilize professional background checks at anear universal rate, according to a newly released
survey from the National Association of Professional
Background Screeners. The second annual survey
gauging the views of human resources professionalsfound that public safety was their top priority.

Employers of all sizes and locations report using
background screening as part of their onboarding
process, with a majority waiting until after aninterview or job offer to conduct the backgroundcheck. The number one challenge reported
continues to be the length of time in getting results.

The Universal Utilization of Background Checks
Nearly all respondents stated they conduct
backgrounds checks of some kind, with a majority
saying they screen both part-time and full-time
employees. Ninety-five percent of employers statedtheir organization conducts one or more types ofemployment background screening. A backgroundcheck is, in basic terms, information compiled

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on an individual which may be considered when
determining eligibility for a job.
●● 86 percent of respondents said they screen all
full-time employees●● 68 percent of respondents included part-time
employees in their screening process

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How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

2018

96%

60

67%

68%

83%

80

2017

86%

95%

Percent Conducting Background Checks

40200

Organization conducts
some type of
employment
background screening

Screens all full-time
employees

Of the five percent of respondents who indicatedtheir companies do not conduct background checks:●● 23 percent stated they are using other tools or
methods to screen applicants

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Screens all part-time
employees●● 19 percent cited the associated costs●● 17 percent could not cite a reason that was
responsible for their company not utilizing
background screenings

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How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

Prioritization of Safety Remains the Top Concern
The percentage of employers citing public safety as
the top reason they conducted background checks
remained at the top of the list in this year’s survey.
A full 86 percent stated they conduct backgroundchecks to protect employees, customers and others.
Other top reasons cited for screening:●● Improving the quality of hires (52 percent)●● Law/regulation requirements (39 percent)●● Protecting company reputation (38 percent)●● Prevent and/or reduce theft, embezzlement andother criminal activity (36 percent)

80

89%

86%

The four most important reasons that organizations conduct background screening

2018
2017

44%

39%

44%

38%

4052%

52%

60

200

Protecting employees,
customers etc.

5

Improve qualityof hires

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Protect company
reputation

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Mandated bylaw/regulation

How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

Accuracy Is ParamountIn the 2018 survey, human resources professionals
reconfirmed their focus on accuracy with 98 percent
stating that the accuracy of their backgroundscreenings is “very important.” This percentage wasconsistent with last year’s survey. At the same time,
an increased number of respondents stated that thelength of time to get results is the most significant
challenge facing their organization when conducting
background screens – 65 percent this year versus
62 percent in 2017.

The two most significant challenges faced when conducting background screening

65%

Length of time to
get results

2017

62%
62%

Cost ofscreening

60%
01020

Accuracy is critical for professional backgroundscreeners and an accurate background check isdependent on access to personal identifiers such ascomplete name and complete date of birth. However,
the redaction of identifiers—such as dates of birth—by federal, state and local court systems can leadto delays in hiring. This is particularly true in thefederal court data system known as PACER, which
systematically excludes dates of birth. This can lead

62018

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30405060

to applicants losing out on a job while the search for
identifiers to confirm or refute that a record matches
the applicant is ongoing. The lack of identifiers in asystem such as PACER can also impact the federal
government itself, which consistently has a backlog
of Office of Personnel Management backgroundchecks. The Government Accountability Officerecently labeled this backlog a “high risk.”

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How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

Multiple Types of Entities Use Background Checks, Usually
After a Job Is Offered
Nearly half of respondents representedorganizations with fewer than 100 employees (45percent). Forty-nine percent of entities represented
were privately held, and 28 percent were non-profit.

after the job interview or conditional job offer before
conducting a background screen.
The proportion of companies waiting until after a
job interview or conditional job offer to conduct abackground check increased by three percentage
points over last year, to 89 percent. Sixty-two
percent of respondents reported waiting until aconditional job offer is made.

Seventy-six percent of survey respondents said theircompany had a documented background screeningpolicy, with nine percent indicating they weren’t sure.
Increasingly, however, companies are waiting until

At what point in the hiring/onboarding process does your organization conduct
background screening?

62%

After conditional
job offer

2017

55%
27%

After job interview,
but before job offer

31%
010

20

Among employers that conduct background checks,
most report conducting the check during thehiring process. For those employers that conduct
additional background checks, the reasons forsubsequent screenings are varied.
●● 60 percent conduct a background check only
during the hiring process72018

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30405060●● 14 percent report the use of background checks
at times other than the hiring process because
they are required to do so by law●● 10 percent said they conduct backgroundchecks at times other than the hiring process
for cause

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How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

Many Employers Are Thinking Globally and Value Access toInternational Screening Capabilities
As the economy continues to become more global innature, NAPBS implemented a new line of research
into this year’s survey to establish a baseline andidentify trends in employers’ views and uses ofinternational tools to screen employees.
Regardless of whether a respondent has locations
outside the United States or job applicants that live
or have lived overseas, employers overwhelmingly(80 percent) stated it is at least somewhat importantfor companies to have access to global/international
screening capabilities. A majority of respondents(52 percent) stated they believe access to global
screening capabilities is important, while 28 percent
believe it is somewhat important.

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Among respondents that consider candidates wholive or have lived in other countries:●● Eighty-four percent believe it is importantfor companies to have access to global/
international screening capabilities, including 56
percent who believe it is “very important” and 28
percent who say it is “somewhat important.”
Among the respondents with locations outside theUnited States:●● Eighty-nine percent believe it is importantfor companies to have access to global/
international screening capabilities, including 70
percent who believe it is “very important” and 19
percent who say it is “somewhat important.”

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How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

What Is, and Isn’t, a Common Component of a Background Check
Some form of criminal history check continues tobe the most commonly included component of abackground check, while the use of social media
in the screening process remains low. Ninety-fourpercent include some form of criminal history checkin their screening program. Seventy-three percent ofemployers currently do not use social media in theirscreening process, and only eight percent use socialmedia for all candidates.
This survey continues to provide one of the most indepth glimpses into the types of background checks
employers are using. These types include:

Database/National Criminal84%

All candidates

10%

Some candidates

3%

No candidates

020

4060

80

100

County/Statewide Criminal Searches

89%

All candidates

8%

Some candidates

1%

No candidates

0920

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4060

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80100

How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

Fingerprint Based Criminal Searches

53%

No candidates

All candidates

18%

Some candidates

17%020406080

100

Social Security Number Trace (this may be referred to as an identity check, location search tool for
adding criminal jurisdictions or similar)

83%

All candidates

8%

No candidates

6%

Some candidates

020

4060801006080

100

Credit/Financial

47%

No candidates

31%

Some candidates

16%

All candidates

01020

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How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

Education Verification

39%

No candidates

31%

All candidates

25%

Some candidates

020

406080100406080

10080

100

Motor Vehicle Driving Records

40%

All candidates

38%

Some candidates

19%

No candidates

020

Social Media73%

No candidates

Some candidates

9%

All candidates

8%
01120

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4060

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How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

Drug and Alcohol Testing45%

All candidates

35%

No candidates

17%

Some candidates

020406080

100

Sex Offender Registry69%

All candidates

15%

No candidates

8%

Some candidates

0204060

80

100406080

100

Professional License Verification

36%

Some candidates

24%

No candidates

21%

All candidates

01220

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How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

International Checks

57%

No candidates

15%

Some candidates

12%

All candidates

020Items included in background screenings

4060

All

80

100

SomeNone2018

20172018

20172018

2017Database/National Criminal

84%

83%

10%

10%

3%

3%

County/Statewide Criminal Searches

89%

87%

8%

10%

1%

1%

Fingerprint

18%

11%

17%

16%

53%

62%

SSN

83%

80%

6%

7%

8%

7%

Credit/Financial

16%

6%

31%

25%

47%

62%

Education Verification

31%

18%

25%

23%

39%

53%

Motor Vehicle Driving Records

40%

30%

38%

38%

19%

26%

Social Media

8%

5%

9%

N.A.

73%

77%

Drug and Alcohol Testing

45%

37%

17%

15%

35%

45%

Sex Offender Registry

69%

61%

8%

9%

15%

19%

Professional License Verification

21%

17%

36%

32%

34%

44%

International Checks

12%4%

15%

14%

57%

69%

To determine which components may be included in a background check, applicants are encouraged toconsult with their prospective employers and property managers
The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) commissioned HR.com to
conduct an unprecedented national survey of 2,137 human resources professionals to gauge their views onbackground screening.

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How Human Resource Professionals View the Usage andEffectiveness of Background Screening Methods

About NAPBS
Founded in 2003 as a not-for-profit trade association, the National Association of Professional Background
Screeners (NAPBS) represents the interests of over 850 member companies around the world that offer
employment and tenant background screening. NAPBS provides relevant programs and training aimed at
empowering members to better serve clients and maintain standards of excellence in the background screening
industry, and presents a unified voice in the development of national, state, and local regulations. For more
information, visit www.napbs.com

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