Pre Employment Screening, Vero/Go |
Jessica Veal |
Reading Time: 3 minutes
As the festive season fast approaches, we’re reminded of the importance of screening temporary staff members ahead of the Christmas period.
For those in the retail and hospitality industries, seasonal hiring is simply a way of working – a means to an end when facing higher sales and service volumes over the colder months. However, we’re often reminded that hiring without due diligence can have a costly impact on your business all year round.
In fact, this year, employers have begun recruiting temporary workers to fill their Christmas season vacancies even earlier than last year, according to data showing that temporary work job searches containing the word ‘Christmas’ were 244% higher at the end of September compared to the same time last year.
Temporary work job searches containing the word ‘Christmas’ were 244% higher at the end of September compared to the same time last year.
Here, we’ll discuss why seasonal screening is important for businesses, and the importance of background checking your gig workers. We’ll also detail the typical checks required in these instances, and how you can obtain them efficiently.
Why is seasonal screening so important?
As we review this shift in seasonal hiring, we’re reminded of the mass increase in gig workers as a result of the pandemic. Delivery drivers, as an example, were in high demand as people used their home as a base and workplace. And, as with any cultural change, ample hiring practices are required to ensure that the risk to your business overall are minimised.
Although temporary staff may not sit within your business for long, their actions could leave a lasting, and costly impact.
When hiring gig workers, it’s important to be reminded of the higher turnover rates that typically come with this type of employee. Temporary work can often be seen as a stopgap in one’s life or career, whilst they look for a more permanent solution. As a result, onboarding for temporary workers is normally completed swiftly to commence employment as quickly as possible.
Protecting vulnerable customers.
Gig workers around the festive period often come into contact with those who are vulnerable – children, the elderly, or those who are housebound. They’ll usually work independently, receiving less oversight than a typical employee who is based in an office for example. This requires a higher level of trust from both service users and employers. Background checks are a helpful tool in this instance, verifying the experiences of workers prior to employment.
Typical checks for gig workers.
Through our extensive experience, our background check experts recommend the below typical checks for seasonal gig workers:
- Criminal record checks
- Driver licence checks
- Employment verification
- Education verification
- Right to work checks
These checks act as an additional verification of the background and trustworthiness of the gig worker.
PAYG Screening as a short-term hiring solution.
Vero/Go has been designed for UK small businesses wishing to process background checks on their new employees without lengthy sign-up processes or contracts.
Vero/Go, is our pay-as-you-go screening solution for small businesses and SMEs to screen temporary candidates. With no contracts, this simplified employment screening service helps you find out the information you need to know, fast, and puts businesses in charge of their own background checks.
Using a Vero/Go screening bundle for SME business background checks can help you reduce your exposure to risk and ensure your candidates’ experience and qualifications are genuine whilst complying with any regulatory requirements.
Interested in our temporary hiring screening solutions? Click here to find out more about them.