Employee Background Checks For The Retail Industry - MBI Worldwide Background Checks and Drug Screening

Written by Kandi Chapman, President
MBI Worldwide Background Checks

93 Percent of people that apply for a position in the retail industry lie during the job application process.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations says employee theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States.  Employees stole more $15.2 billion dollars from the workplace in 2014.  That’s more than one-third of all workplace theft cases reported.  It’s estimated that employers lose 20 cents of every dollar to employee theft.  For that very reason, it’s important that you conduct a background check on the employees you’re adding to your retail team.

Larger retailers typically conduct employee background checks on their employees, but it has  been a challenge to convince smaller stores from joining the screening trend.  A survey by the National Retail Federation found a number of reasons for this, including:  

• The cost of an individual employee background check report
• High retail employee turn-over rate
• Disrupting the “family feel” of the workplace (this was particularly noted in small “Mom/Pop” stores)
  

The costs involved in an employee background check are quite minimal, and in the long run can actually end up saving the employer.  An inexpensive, seven-year county criminal history search will better inform you before making a hiring decision.   It does just what it implies; discloses county-level court records based on the written consent provided to the background check company (consumer reporting agency).

Expanding the employee background screening with a statewide criminal record search is more broad and information found can then be verified at the county level.  If you are hiring drivers, it’s common sense to request driving records.  You will learn of any driving violations out of state over the course of three to five years.

Something else to remember when it comes to considering an employee background check… if you don’t think applicants lie, think again.  Even the “mom and pop” shops that hire their neighbor’s niece risk negligent hiring when not conducting a background check from an accredited consumer reporting agency.  In a recent survey, 93 percent of retail respondents say an employee screening exposed that their job candidate had lied on his or her resume.  Seventy-one percent said the screening report uncovered issues that would not have been found otherwise.  

Good Screening is SMART Business.  Be smart, and stay sharp.  Don’t risk your retail business by choosing to not conduct an employee background check on potential employees.