Hiring can be dangerous, and in a senior living community, it could even be a matter of life and death.
Background checks substantially help mitigate risk by evaluating various sources to confirm that candidates are who they claim to be, that who they claim to be is indeed fit for the role in question, and that they pose no threat to the living community.
But other dangers exist, too; the process of hiring can consume substantial amounts of time and resources. Failing to identify unsuitable candidates in a timely manner will result in malinvestment, even if the candidate is never hired.
And yet, hiring remains a top priority. As disconcerting as the stakes may be, properly carrying out background checks is a necessary and ultimately rewarding effort.
To help senior living communities navigate this process successfully, I’ll discuss the three most common errors organizations make.
1. Ignorance-induced legal risks
Litigation is a top concern for any senior living employer conducting background checks. Employers should ensure full understanding and compliance with both local and federal legislation long before even designing their policy, not to mention running an actual check.
Laws governing the hiring process will vary widely based on location and the nature of the position. They tend to specify certain aspects of the procedure, such as information that must be communicated to candidates throughout the screening process. Restrictions and regulations on using acquired data also are common, with consideration of marijuana use or criminal backgrounds being notable examples.
Whatever the particulars may be, any given organization will be subject to a specific, often unique, set of laws. Failure to adhere to such legislation may expose a company to potential lawsuits, which can easily cost millions of dollars in settlements and legal fees. When it comes to the law, due diligence is always due.
2. Flexibility without framework
Oftentimes, approaching the screening process on a case-by-case basis is the path of least resistance. Although each position should be given unique consideration, improvisation always will land a company in hot water.
The underlying factor here is that lack of consistency increases the likelihood of legal negligence. Without a pre-decided policy, it is much easier for an employer to disregard certain legal guidelines or restrictions that otherwise might be detailed in a well-prepared plan. Once such a policy has been created, staying aligned with the law is merely a matter of ensuring that it remains up-to-date.
Another serious concern is that an unorganized background check always will lack the efficiency of a carefully designed workflow. Organizing how screenings and communications, among other things, will take place ensures that a company’s background check does not waste resources.
3. Using unclear criteria
Finally, senior living organizations often try to speed up the screening process by sending all candidates through a single filter. The faults with such an approach, however, are obvious. Unclear criteria consistently will deny competent workers where parameters are too strict and allow unsuitable workers where parameters are too loose. For this reason, companies must establish job-specific criteria.
The first criteria to consider are criminal backgrounds, because — yet again — the law must be considered first and foremost. Legislation often will regulate which workers can be employed in certain fields, such as working with older adults, based on criminal records. Although background checks in this industry are more extensive than in most other industries, some offenses should not disqualify candidates for certain positions.
Non-criminal criteria like work experience, licensing, references, and referrals should also be job-specific. While there is not much flexibility here, organizations must decide for themselves where to set the bar for each position — something that may change with the job market.
Bottom line
The process of screening candidates for hire is not simple for senior living employers. After all, it is a matter of life and death. With legal and economic concerns around every corner, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. When taken into account, those mistakes cannot only be carefully avoided but can guide a company in executing robust background checks that offer peace of mind and allow its workforce, and living community, to prosper.
Jeff Ernste is chief sales and marketing officer with Minneapolis-based Orange Tree Employment Screening. For more than 30 years, Orange Tree has provided technology-enabled background screening, drug testing and occupational health services for clients nationwide.
The opinions expressed in each McKnight’s Senior Living marketplace column are those of the author and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Senior Living.
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