Of all the background verification issues that organisations face in order to hire the right person, one is particularly complex. Address Checks. It’s usually a mandatory requirement and is an indispensable part of the pre-screening process of potential employees.
Address checks, as part of background verifications, have proven to be a very time-consuming process that can take months to complete. The wait for a response from government agencies verifying the data can have a negative impact on the company’s efficiency.[1]
Furthermore, a survey carried out by CareerBuilder suggests that 58% of employers have come across candidates who lied on their resumes.[2]
This misleading information can hurt the business in many ways. In addition, time and effort that could have been spent resourcefully are now wasted.
In simpler words, It is crucial and needs to be done.
But the advent of COVID-19 pandemic combined with some other factors throw certain major challenges at companies
Here are some background verification issues associated with Address Verification.
Remote operations
The COVID-19 outbreak poses certain unique challenges.
Verifying applicants in a remote setup is not easy. Companies are used to the conventional method of verification that comes with a sense of assurance as the necessary proofs are examined physically. However, the process of remote verification mutes that aspect, thus increasing the uncertainty of hiring genuine candidates and making it difficult for companies to tell apart a fraudulent candidate.
Logistical constraints
The lack of adequate technology infrastructure and other logistical constraints during trying times like these is another challenge. Companies that lack the resources are forced to make the address verification process happen remotely. The traditional method of sending out their executives for verification checks is a perilous affair as the person in charge might be exposed to the risk of contracting the virus.
Structural changes
Possible structural changes may arise due to poor address data. For example, the applicants may end up making spelling mistakes, writing abbreviations, failing to mention specific address details like PIN code, Landmark etc. Mistakes like these lead to inadequate or incorrect data which further complicates the process. This poor data costs companies millions every year and continues to be a problem even today.
Other errors
There are a number of other unlikely issues which do not exactly fit in the list of structural errors. For instance, a particular address might be missing from the database, a valid address that may no longer be existing or a structurally right address not belonging to the applicant under review etc. In India, there’s the added issue of houses having old and new numbers that are different, inconsistencies that cause a lot of confusion. These unavoidable errors can also make the process of address verifications complex.
Given these critical factors, organisations are now looking at newer ways to complete address checks. Ones that are technology-driven, that guarantee outcome, and can be done remotely and instantly. For more details on such solutions visit our pages on employee verification services or HR recruitment services.
To know more on how to onboard employees remotely and verify addresses virtually reach out to us at shivani@idfy.com
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