How Does AI Affect the Hiring Process for Background Checks?

Companies are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) applications for various uses. These platforms can, boost efficiency and productivity, and help make better data-driven decisions. But AI is also finding increased use in hiring for many companies, including reviewing completed background checks.

With over 90% of employers conducting background checks for some or all new hires, these routine screenings have become a staple of the hiring process. And AI is  transforming this process in multiple ways, such as:

1. It is speeding up the process. Employers or third-party background check services often spend a lot of time compiling information, determining which items are relevant, ensuring compliance, identifying red flags, and employers make decisions based on these findings. AI reviewed background checks would only be leaving the important steps, such as making decisions, to humans. The result of this automation is that reviewing completed background checks means less time sorting through data, leading to faster hiring, which is crucial for many companies.
2. It can make the entire process easier to manage. If you own a large company, you are likely continuously conducting background checks for multiple open positions. And if you get a lot of applicants, this process can quickly become challenging. Automation and AI simplify the process and leave even large-scale background check operations easy to manage.
3. It can make re-checking easy. Background checks are completed at a point in time. But real life continues to move forward, meaning a specific employee’s circumstances may change at any time. Routine background checks are often important for identifying any red flags that may arise due to a person’s changing circumstances. But most companies struggle with identifying a way to do this efficiently and effectively. AI platforms can help in determining when employees should be re-checked to ensure that ongoing criminal monitoring can help your business stay safe.
4. It can reduce overt and subconscious bias. One of the major violations of many federal and state laws related to background checks is discrimination. However, it is hard to remain completely objective, and everyone has biases, even if they are only subconscious. Many proponents of using AI when reviewing background checks cite that these systems are great for removing bias from the process. AI categorizes based on data alone, reducing the risk of your company engaging in unintentional discrimination. And this ultimately reduces your legal risk of being accused of discrimination.
5. AI can protect the privacy of applicants better. Most AI platforms sort and narrow down the data that employers are allowed to see, restricting it to only relevant fields. Often, this means that the employer sees less data about the candidate until they are ready to make hiring decisions. This protects applicants’ privacy and simultaneously saves the employer time more than background checks where the employer is reviewing all the data.
6. AI forces employers to consider the dimensions they want to rate candidates on. Using AI platforms for background checks requires the employer to sit down and identify the information they want to collect about candidates, the red flags that they want to exclude candidates based on, and situations that may require exceptions to the rules. Overall, it forces more planning on the employer, which is a great way to establish hiring criteria and apply them uniformly to all candidates. Set hiring criteria will ensure the employer is ordering the correct services on the background check which results in background checks focusing on the right data points by weeding through mountains of data and save the employer money on unnecessary services. This process ensures that you can narrow down your field of potential candidates quickly and using insights.
7. It results in better analyses. When employers review background checks, there is a limit to how much information they can review before it becomes time- and cost-intensive. AI enables extensive background checks to be reviewed faster than would be possible by a human reviewer. And the capabilities of this technology to make connections between vital data points and identify important patterns are far greater. Furthermore, AI can automatically remove duplicate reports and flag any problems, increasing the report’s accuracy. Ultimately, this often results in saved employer time with a far more comprehensive and better-quality review than of traditional background check.
8. It can use data from all over the world. For instance, a traditional background check can be completed all over the world. It can be difficult for companies to overcome the language barriers that come with international background checks. AI is able to translate the records being reported on the traditional background check to minimize confusion.
9. It can let you make fast hiring decisions to give you a competitive advantage. If you are using AI reviewed background checks, you are likely able to make hiring decisions far quicker than your competitors, which means you can make job offers and secure conditional offers faster than they can, too. And in a competitive job market, speed matters. Your ability to make fast hiring decisions can lead to hiring the best candidates on the market before your competitor even has a chance to interview them. And all business owners and leaders know that your company’s success is directly linked to the quality of its employees.

Conducting modern is more important – and more complex – than ever before. To learn more about AI-powered background checks, contact Canadasmarthire today!

Canadasmarthire Global Screening Services provides comprehensive background and criminal checks for employers that comply with federal and local laws. By helping you eliminate high-risk applicants through tailored solutions, Canadasmarthire enables you to create a safe and productive work environment and a foundation for future success.