Background checks form a core part of many job application processes. A hurdle that job hunters will need to pass in a wide variety of industries, what’s less common is an understanding of their importance.
For businesses in many sectors, DBS checks are non-optional, an essential part of the hiring process for multiple reasons – from regulatory compliance to protecting the interests of the business. In this article, we speak to the Personnel Checks team and take a closer look at the importance of DBS checks, specifically with regard to the protections they afford to employers.
What is a DBS check?
DBS checks are criminal background checks conducted by the disclosure and barring service (the DBS,) a non-departmental government body. There are three main DBS checks available:
Basic DBS check
The basic check is the lowest level check that can be completed. It looks for unspent criminal convictions and warnings, and is the only DBS check that is available to everyone, regardless of the industry they’re working in.
Standard DBS check
The standard check looks for the same information as the basic check, but it also looks for spent convictions, warnings and reprimands. It can only be requested for individuals applying to certain roles, and is a common requirement in areas with a high professional standard, such as accountancy and the legal profession.
Enhanced DBS check
The enhanced check is the highest-level check available. In addition to the information searched for in the standard check, it will look for any information that the local police department considers relevant to the role in question.
Legal compliance
In areas where DBS checks are a regulatory requirement, failure to complete DBS checks on employees can be disastrous. Businesses may face huge fines for failure to comply with employment laws, fines which could be devastating to smaller businesses.
DBS checks form a part of the due diligence process, in addition to ascertaining if the worker has the right to work in the UK and what kinds of work they’re allowed and qualified to carry out. Legal compliance is, as a result, one of the most important reasons behind carrying out DBS checks.
Protecting your workers
Criminal background checks don’t just protect businesses – they protect the individuals who work at them. The workplace needs to be a safe space for everyone, and background checks ensure that no employees have lied about their criminal past.
DBS checks can uncover information that might help prevent bringing someone into the business with ill intentions, helping to ensure that the workforce stays a positive place, building a culture of trust and safety.
Protect your clients
Your main duty as a business is to accommodate the needs of your clients. This means providing your service to the standard that you’ve promised, and protecting their interests and data that you may have control over.
An event like a data breach or theft of a client’s property (intellectual or physical) could be absolutely ruinous to the reputation of your brand, causing damage that could take years to recover from.
