Do you know where your employee lives? It is the same address as the one he/she indicates in the residence proof? Is it important to find out if that’s the case?
Considered by most employers as a little insignificant formality, the residential address proof is in actuality, the most relevant aspect of the employee background screening process. It is safe to say that a major chunk of fraud investigations reveal discrepancies in the residential address proof. Simply because it is relatively easy to fake it
Why is the residence background check important?
A residence proof facilitates convenient and seamless communication between the organisation and its employees.
It is helpful in tracking employees in the circumstance of absenteeism, disciplinary issues, or any violations.
It is a vantage point with which most background screening companies in India begin their employee background verification process. With the residence proof, they track the candidate’s criminal record from the local police station.
A residential proof is a mandatory requirement for most identification documents; a fake address proof spells disaster for the hiring organisation as in most probability, the identity of the employee is also false.
There have been countless instances of candidates faking their residential proof in order to grab a certain employment opportunity. Some organisation’s prefer candidates from nearby localities or regions. Sometimes, the candidate deliberately hides his actual address to avoid the revelation of a past incident that may harm his chances of employment with the organisation or to mask off a criminal record with the local police. These factors drive an individual to fake his residential address proof.
However, a fake address can be fished out as easily as it was made. One investigatory visit would set the record straight. There are several background screening companies in India which cater to this issue. What is of the essence here is that employers begin to consider this as a serious threat to their business.
Most organisations can avoid hiring and firing a defaulter by simply being proactive. It is highly recommended that employee background checks are not to be taken lightly and merely as a compliance formality. One must understand that a wrong hire can be very detrimental to an organisation’s financial, perceptional & professional well-being. Thinking ahead, organizations should consider background checks of the candidate once his/her resume is genuinely considered for the position. Once cleared, the organization can doubtlessly hire the candidate by offering him a confirmed appointment letter. This avoids sketchy issues later on in the employment tenure.
If the candidate/ hired employee has a false address proof, there are several ways to approach the issue at hand. Firstly, the employer must always give the individual a chance to explain himself. In case of a potential employee, the hiring could be done at the discretion of the employer. For the employee, if the explanation offered wasn’t satisfactory, numerous options are available such as HR interactions, fact-finding interviews, disciplinary procedures, dismissal or resignations and police involvement (based on the severity of the infraction committed).
As an employer, one must always be wary of the miscreants. Better be safe than sorry, goes a cliched yet extremely relevant phrase.
