You usually run background checks on potential employees to verify that these future staff members will be a good investment for your company. However, you may consider background checks for part-time staff to be a waste of time due to the often quick turnover and comparatively fewer requirements for the candidates of these positions.
On the contrary, screening all employees, both part-time and full-time, is a great way to ensure your company employs people who will help your company thrive. If you plan to place the employee in front of customers on a regular basis or the candidate needs a certain level of education, you should run certain screenings to ensure their efficacy.
Customer-Facing Positions
Many part-time positions involve working directly with customers. In the age of social media, however, a negative customer experience can go public within a matter of seconds and impact your company’s reputation.
Running a background check on your employees can help you place the most even-tempered people in front of your customers. Criminal history checks, drug testing, and reference verifications can provide insight into a candidate’s personality before you ask him or her to represent the brand on a regular basis.
Retail Positions
The retail industry faces a similar risk of unsatisfactory brand representation by part-time employees, but it also must contend with concerns about employee theft. To help minimize the potential damages to your business, you could run at least a basic criminal background check on every part- and full-time employee.
These screenings can help reduce theft and fraud losses and increase the quality and tenure of your workforce. Basic background checks can include a criminal history search for previous instances of theft, as well as a credit check for cash-handling staff to help determine if the potential hire is financially responsible.
Administrative Positions
Administrative positions can vary from full- to part-time, but all candidates should undergo a background check regardless of their hours. These professionals often interact with clients and other employees, and they often have access to sensitive information. To better protect your company’s interests, you should verify resumes for administrative candidates.
A basic background check will run a criminal history search, but you should also verify resume items such as level of education, previous employment, and professional references. A drug test can help protect your company from hiring unsafe individuals, and a credit check is advisable for positions that deal with money.
Contract Positions
Contract workers are usually talented in a specific field and hired by a company to complete projects in a set amount of time. Depending on the intensity of the project, contractors may only work part-time hours and may turn over quickly, leading an employer to skip the background check step.
Screens such as credit checks may not be necessary for a temporary employee who rarely comes into the office, but you should verify certain other parts of a contractor’s resume. Verifying education history, previous employment, and references can tell you if your contractor has the skills to fulfill his or her duties before the deadline.
Part-time employees represent your brand just as much as full-time staff
If background screening seems unnecessary for part-time employees, remember that these positions are just as valuable as full-time positions. These employees represent your company to the public and handle merchandise and money. They need to be trusted just as much as full-time staff, which makes background screening a vital component of the hiring process.