Category: Uncategorised

With the exciting launch of the new  Heathrow T2 ‘The Queens Terminal’ fast approaching and the summer aviation season upon us, when it comes to hiring your new recruits, it’s easy for time to disappear before your very eyes.

One area in particular in which adequate timeframes can be easily overlooked is ID Pass background checking for your new employees. This can cause stress due to increased workload, but more importantly the delays and costs caused by your staff not being deployed airside on time.

Are You Prepared?
With staffing preparation you may have a check list or process that includes key actions, such as:

Check List – Heathrow T2!
~ Total number of roles/staff required for Heathrow T2?
~ Additional staff requirements to replace any staff being transferred to Heathrow T2
~ Any staff requiring an ID pass renewal /CRC & GSAT?
~ Number of Airside ID’s required for staff from either different airports or airside employers REMEMBER: ‘Heathrow ID Pass Application Standard’ now requires a full 5 year referencing, even for pass transfers!!!

Timescales:  Create timeline to LHR T2 deadline  (mid-February already?! )
~ Time required for new recruits to go through their background checks???
~ Time required for ID approval once dossier has been submitted to Heathrow ID Centre??? NB: Additional time required for any ID Centre Rejections!!!
~ Time required between ID Centre approval to Pass Appointment

Urgent Concern!
~ Need to remove the burden of these specialist checks -to allow focus on recruitment of the very best people for Heathrow T2!!

At first glance this seems quite a straightforward process. Except, when it comes to aviation background checking there are many hidden time critical actions that can have a dramatic knock on effects to your airside deployment. In one respect you are dealing with just one ID Pass Application Standard at Heathrow, but issues still arise as not all employee backgrounds are the same.

Are You Prepared?
The timescale required to complete background checks on different employees can vary massively. At Procius we know this, as we are specialists within these stringent airside background checks. Over the years we have verified tens of thousands of aviation employees, and through our high quality employee vetting we have learnt the different times background checks can take. Due to the nature of aviation there is a high level of staff turnover, mix this with the Heathrow ID Pass Application Standard and your time is suddenly consumed with chasing references, draining your valuable time from your core business of resourcing the best people.

As a provider of employee screening, when it comes to ID pass background checking, chasing references, dotting the ‘i’s’ and crossing the ‘t’s’ is second nature to us. It’s what we do every day. We have a tried and tested finely tuned process, which offers full transparency to our clients at the click of a button.

‘But outsourcing costs’. Yes it does, but it’s a ‘minimal cost’ with benefits and cost savings that far outweigh the internal costs generated by in-house checking, such as:

1. Time consumed by you or your team in checking and chasing
2. Time absorbed by outdated slow paper based processes
3. Time dealing with rejections from the ID Centre and resubmissions
4. Time involved in managing airside staff shortages due to ID pass delays
5. The financial cost of having to deploy higher paid contingency staff
6. Penalty costs issued by the Airports for not delivery agreed productivity levels due to lack of placed airside staff
7. Overhead/PAYE costs and training time incurred by employing additional in-house screening staff for busy periods….

The list goes on, but what is clear is that high quality outsourcing can cost less than you are already paying and comes with the additional benefit of allowing you to focus on your core business.

Avoid the worst case scenario and enjoy a relaxing Heathrow T2 launch!
If you feel you could benefit from our expertise and would like to trial our service to either replace or run alongside your current background checking method (we can set up your account within 24hrs) then please contact us today, call Procius on 01256 487 887

LEARN MORE | About our Airside ID Pass Background Checking Service >

With Halloween upon us, we are reminded of the fear of hiring an undesirable or of having an undesirable currently in your business that you wish had never been hired.

These fears can be prevented. At Procius we assist hundreds of businesses with their pre-employment background screening policies by improving the standard and completeness of each check, to safeguard their customers, staff and reputation by preventing costly hiring mistakes.

‘Prevention is Better Than Cure’ is our series of useful tips and advice that we have gained over the years and would like to share with you.

SITUATION

Having a 2 reference check or a ‘one process fits all’ policy, is no longer considered as adequate and can leave your business, staff and customers exposed to violence in the workplace, fraud, theft and non-compliance. Mopping up the effects of such policies can be very time consuming and costly.

PREVENTION | is better than cure…

On the other hand, these threats can be greatly reduced or removed altogether by developing a ‘best practice’ pre-employment screening policy, which is proportionate to the risk-profile of your business. This means setting the bar high enough to deter the undesirables, but not too high as to alienate the right people.

SITUATION

You have a background screening policy that suits the various requirements within your business. You’ve invested time creating a balanced and achievable job spec for the role in question, written a compelling  job advert and paid a considerable sum to advertise on the best channels to attract the ‘creme de la creme’! You’re overwhelmed with the amount of CV’s that you have received from candidates or via your recruitment agencies. After investing more time and resource, you’ve filtered the CV’s down to a week’s worth of interviewing time and then, finally, after second or third-round interviews you have your new employee ready for background screening. Finding out at this late stage that they have not been totally honest with you leaves you in a difficult situation. Can you afford to invest more time and money into repeating the process to find another candidate? Can you cope with the long-term effects of employing someone who might have a negative impact on your business (and ultimately lead to a costly firing)?

PREVENTION | is better than cure…

It’s important to have a screening policy, but  how you implement it is key in preventing you from difficult decisions and costly hiring mistakes, as well as in to saving you an enormous amount of time and resource during the whole hiring process.  You need to implement your policy at every stage of your recruitment process. To maximise its benefits, clearly state wherever practical that all new hires will be subject to background checks. Mention this in job advertisements, on application forms and during interviews. This is a powerful deterrent to discourage the wrong people and it also encourages people to be honest and open about their abilities, resulting in less spiel and saving you time, money and regret. Learn More

SITUATION

Many companies take the view that they only need to run background checks for regulated roles or only if they have reservations about a particular candidate. Many employers feel that if a person has been recommended by another employee or via an agency, a candidate has somehow been pre-qualified for the role and is trusted. Historically, word of mouth recommendations went a long way. This situation can once again leave your company very exposed to the risks of a bad hire.

PREVENTION | is better than cure…

It is vital to make your background check policy mandatory for everyone. This ensures that no one will slip through the net. Regardless of if they are a ‘best mate’ being vouched for by an existing employee or they have come through a trusted employment agency, make everyone in the company aware of the benefits of background checking, from safeguarding your staff and customers to reputational damage that can be caused by hiring the wrong person. Learn More

Procius’ background checking solutions are available for all sectors and are customised to suit your particular requirements  – saving you valuable time and money.

For more information on our background checks, talk to us today on 01256 487 887

New Airside ID Pass Application Standard at Heathrow, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton Airports

The long anticipated new Heathrow Airports (Formerly BAA Airports) has arrived at last. The new standard is a great improvement over the old, having reduced down from 66 pages to now only 26.

What Has Changed?

There are a number of changes when it comes to the necessary background checks employers must undertake, some of which make the process more involved and some which simplify physically getting hold of the references. Find out more

The changes are:

• Scanned references and CRC’s are now admissible documents. The new standard clearly allows references to be received as scanned copies and also to be submitted as scanned copies.  These must be “full colour” scans and should be accompanied by a file note. Original copies must be held while a pass is active.
• 5 years of reference checks now means you cannot have a gap of up to 28 days at the start of the 5 year referencing period. As such you must have a reference accounting for day 1.
• Clarity around the use of HMRC, Accountants, Evidence and Gaps.
• Personal referees can now know the applicant in a professional capacity.
• Overseas Criminal Record Checks. Once obtained an applicant must not return to that country.
• More emphasis is being placed on authenticating referees. This includes telephone checks and checking businesses exist.
• Regardless of whether a pass has been held previously, it is no longer possible to only reference back to the point of the last pass issued. A full 5 year reference check must be undertaken and submitted.

These changes are enforced from 1^st October 2013.

Don’t delay, if you would like more advice or would like us to help with carrying out your background checks. Find out more

Talk to us today on 01256 487 887

“Increased recruitment plans for UK firms” Reports the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD).

“More employers are expecting to hire new staff over the next three months” – Reveals the latest quarterly report from the Labour Market Outlook (LMO).

Good News

This is the highest level of recruitment since the recession in 2008 and is great for the economy.

Bad News

Failure to background check potential employees can cost companies of all sizes significant time and money. The average cost of a bad hire is currently estimated, at equal to 30% of the individual’s first-year salary. This means a single bad hire with an annual income of £32k can equal a potential £9.6k loss for the employer.

Negligent hiring damages are on the increase. Businesses and organisations are urged to take advantage of cost effective pre-employment background checks. Carrying out pre-employment background checks has become a matter of necessity for employers. Many applicants make false claims on their job applications/CV’s or have been involved in criminal activity which they may not disclose.

Good News

If you want to safeguard and provide a secure workplace and help avoid costly damages, the amount you would pay to background check your candidates is very low compared to the legal fees you could have to pay later. Taking advantage of outsourcing your screening with Procius MyCheck^TM (an online solution that enables and supports background screening and candidate management) combined with the Procius expert team of experienced screeners, results in a powerful resource that helps you ‘know before you hire’, while saving you valuable time and money.

About Procius – Background Checking People

Procius has been a trusted and leading provider of pre-employment background screening checks for more than 10 years and can potentially save you thousands in bad hire, negligent hiring or non-compliance costs.

Procius MyCheck^TM technology and experienced screeners are trusted by organisations of all sizes within some of the most stringently regulated industries. You can be confident that the privacy and personal data of all your potential employees is secure. Our friendly customer care team and attention to detail will reduce your risk and increase compliance.

We provide our clients with the information they require quickly, we make it easy for our client’s candidates to submit information. Our 24/7 access online technology MyCheck^TMstreamlines the whole process.

Procius affordable screening checks include:

• Employment Verification / Reference Checks
• UK Criminal Record Checks – Basic Disclosure / DBS Checks (Formerly CRB)
• International Criminal Record Checks
• Qualification Checks
• Identity Checks
• Passport Checks
• Right To Work Checks
• Financial Probity / Credit Checks
• Professional Membership Checks
• Airside Pass Background Checks
• Airside Pass Renewal & Pass Transfers
• Freight Forwarder Checks
• BS7858 Checks
• PCI DSS Checks
• BPSS Checks

Every background checking solution is customised to suit our client’s particular requirements –  saving them valuable time and money.

For more information on background checks or a demo of MyCheck^TM, please call us 01256 487 887

Pre-employment background screening reduces the risk of a bad hire, it plays a vital role in modern recruitment, yet it can be a frustrating, time consuming and sometimes a daunting process for all involved. Using a specialist background checking company removes these angsts by delivering a cost effective service, which allows you to make confident hiring decisions, every time.

So you’ve found the right person…Are you sure?!

Whether you are a SME or an international corporate, hiring the right people is essential to the growth and protection of your business. Companies outsource their background checks for many reasons:

• Free up time by reducing the administration involved in reference checking
• Remove the risk of non-compliance for regulated roles
• Improve productivity by reducing screening time from hiring to start date
• Monitor and track the management of multiple applicants
• Receive expert guidance on creating different levels of checks for different roles within an organisation
• Get full visibility and guidance at all stages by using real-time software such as MyCheck^TM

3 Essential Steps to Pre-Employment Screening

To be effective, companies need to bear the following in mind:

(1) Develop a best practice pre-employment screening policy, which is proportionate to the risk-profile of your business. This means setting the bar high enough to deter the wrong people, but not too high to alienate the right people.

(2) Implement your new screening policy into every stage of your recruitment process. To maximise the benefits from a screening policy, clearly state that all new hires will be subject to background checks, mention this in job advertisements, on application forms and during interviews. This is a powerful deterrent to discourage the wrong people, saving you time and money.

(3) Make the policy mandatory for everyone. This ensures that no one will slip through the net. Regardless of if they are a ‘best mate’ being vouched for by an existing employee or they have come through a trusted employment agency. Make everyone in the company aware of the benefits of background checking, from safeguarding your staff and customers to reputational damage that can be caused by hiring the wrong person.

If you would like more advice or a FREE consultation to discuss your situation and requirements. Contact us today on 01256 487 887

If you use the Disclosure & Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) for accessing criminal records and barred list data, you WILL be affected by 2 recent, major changes.

(1) Go Paperless, FAST!!!

If you currently rely on the paper application process for your DBS Standard or Enhanced Disclosures, it’s time to get online with an electronic service.  Because from now on, you will no longer be receiving a copy of the Disclosure certificate, which means that:

– You’ll now be 100% reliant on the applicant bringing their certificate to you when they receive it;

– You’ll have 0% chance of knowing if and when the DBS have issued the certificate.

Imagine if your new hire has a conviction they’d rather you didn’t know about.  How long will they continue to pretend they’ve received nothing in the post from the DBS….?  Using an online electronic service, such as that offered by Procius, means that you’ll receive a digital prompt as soon as the Disclosure is issued to the applicant, enabling you to complete your recruitment faster and with more confidence.

Paper is a thing of the past.  An online electronic service, such as that offered by Procius  is now the only viable method for applying for your DBS checks.

(2) DBS Update Service – Why Wouldn’t You Sign Up???

Like most employers, you probably ask your staff who hold DBS checks to periodically renew their Disclosure.  But instead of paying for new applications each time, there’s now a much smarter and cheaper route to continuous safeguarding. Procius can register your applicants for the DBS’ new Update Service and then routinely interrogate the DBS database for any changes in applicant data!

– Pay an annual fee for an update to be conducted on all DBS-holders either annually, quarterly, monthly or weekly (as you wish);

– We’ll inform you if there’s any ‘change’ – and you can then decide if you wish to apply for Disclosure in relation to that change.

14-Day Window!  To benefit from this service, applicants must be registered with the Update Service within 14 days of certificate issue.  Our online service will ensure this deadline is met 100% of the time, meaning you’ll never miss this crucial window of opportunity.

Our service works in the background, providing constant safeguarding and only requiring your time when there’s a genuine need for you to be involved. Once up-and-running, you’ll only need to conduct repeat Disclosures on the small % of applicants for whom a “change” is found, which will prevent you wasting money on the 99+% of employees with a clean record.

Don’t fall behind. Things move very quickly in background-checking!  Trust Procius to keep you at the leading edge of criminal record checks and safeguarding activity.

Contact us today on 01256 487 887