Ask the Experts: Turnover & Background Checks

On Jul 15, 2024

What can we do to reduce turnover and retain employees?

High turnover can quickly become costly. We recommend the following practices to increase retention:

• Pick the right people in the first place. Put thought and care into your recruitment and interview procedures. The more time you and other employees can spend with candidates, the more certain you’ll be that they believe in your mission, understand the challenges of the position, and want to contribute to your success.
• Make sure your compensation and benefits remain competitive. This is a tall order and may squeeze your bottom line in ways that make you uncomfortable, but it’s necessary if retention is at the top of your priority list. Make it a goal to do a yearly analysis of your total compensation package to ensure it’s at least keeping up with the market. Many employers that know they can’t offer competitive pay instead offer other compelling benefits, like generous paid time off and the ability to work from home.
• Provide your employees with opportunities for professional growth. Talk to them about their career goals, develop and share career paths for their roles, and offer training and educational programs for those interested.
• Be appreciative. A little gratitude can go a long way, and you can show it in multiple ways – from flexibility when employees need it, to a willingness to hear out ideas, to employee appreciation programs. Even a simple thank you can work wonders.
• Investigate why people are leaving and look for themes. Engagement surveys, stay interviews, and exit interviews are useful tools for gauging employee satisfaction and understanding common pain points and frustrations.
• Create an environment people enjoy, one that encourages healthy boundaries between work and personal time, roots out any bias, discrimination, or toxic behaviors, and facilitates opportunities for employees to socialize and form friendships.

What do we do if we find a discrepancy in a background check?

It depends on the seriousness of the discrepancy, whether the information is pertinent to the job itself, and whether the candidate would be ineligible for the position. You probably don’t need to make an issue of a minor variance like a candidate telling you they started a job in the month of April, but their background check saying they began in May. However, a major difference, such as the candidate apparently not having a college degree they claimed to have or a criminal history they didn’t disclose, likely warrants further review.

If you see a discrepancy, give the candidate an opportunity to explain. If you’re satisfied with their explanation and everything else is fine, you can proceed with the hiring process. If it turns out the candidate isn’t qualified for the job, wouldn’t be permitted to hold the position, or deliberately lied, you can withdraw the offer of employment.

If you end up withdrawing the offer, you will need to follow the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and any applicable state or local law regarding background checks.

HR Professionals from NJBIA assist clients with their HR questions and issues every day. Need help from our HR Pros? njbia.org/help

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

Related Articles: