Polygraph for vetting process in Human resources
Polygraph vetting solutions | Background checks with lie detector
Why is polygraph vetting such an interesting tool for human resources?
Productive, reliable and trustworthy staff is the basis for a profitable company. That is why businesses spent so much time and resources recruiting the right employees. This as w know is a difficult task. Rising unemployment, global employability, confidentiality issues, etc. all have become issues to take into account. A rigorous vetting process has become paramount when hiring not only the right professional but also the right character.
Human Resources vetting process tools
Companies, public agencies, foundations etc. understand how important it is to hire the right people. Polygraph vetting can be the solution. Hiring the right people does not necessarily mean the most brilliant. Many more variables are taken into account during the recruiting process. That is why more and more entities rely on scientific based tools and outside information to help with hiring decisions.
Exhaustive background checks are performed testing the information volunteered by the applicant:
- Criminal records
- Skill tests are done to test experience
- Psychological tests
- Medical checks
- Handwriting/Graphology analysis
- Polygraph tests
- Etc.
A variety of tests and checks are applied to make sure that the future colleague will fit into the company’s philosophy and will contribute positively to the development of the entity.
These selection criteria can differ from company to company, country to country, industry to industry. The increase of labor force and the decrease of job opportunities, local labor laws, etc will either tighten or loosen the vetting process. Taking shortcuts in job selection has proven to create problems in the long run. It is therefore vital to not only rely on what job applicants sell but also test that information.
Polygraph vetting tool star
Why is polygraph vetting so popular in human resources as a vetting tool? Well, the reason is simple: “There is no other process that can deliver so much reliable information in such short time, for the same cost.”
It is true that the use of lie detection tests for pre-employment reasons has generated a lot of criticism. Not only from unions but also from rival vetting services providers.
In the United States Congress voted a bill called EPPA (Employment Polygraph Protection Act) in 1988 limiting the use of polygraph in the selection process.
Other countries, however, do not have a legal framework for polygraph use in human resources and the field is therefore open. This does not mean that polygraph testing is applied in every country. Some countries have embraced it more than others.
For example, Latin-American countries are heavy users and European countries are rather reluctant. There are different reasons to explain the disparity of its use between the two continents and this will eventually evolve.
Colombia and Mexico’s supreme court, for example, have ratified the use of the polygraph for pre-employment reasons, while Brazil has out-ruled it.
EPPA has to a certain degree forced the industry to become more professional, helping improve its implementation, reason why Colombian and Mexican courts have found the process not to be illegal.
Areas treated during pre-employment polygraph exams
Pre-employment polygraph tests are specifically designed to explore areas that have proved to be crucial during decision taking. Every entity is different and might have distinct needs but normally pre-employment polygraph tests will deepen into areas like:
Information volunteered in resume including:
- Academic background
- Exact dates of job contracts
- Reasons for leaving a job
Other issues like:
- Criminal background
- Unlawful behavior on job
- Substance abuse on job
- Ties to organized crime, terrorist groups, etc.
- Etc.
Also, there are some areas pre-employment polygraph tests never explore or at least should not explore like:
- Sexual preferences
- Religion
- Political affiliations
Definitely, a thorough screening process will lower losses, increase productivity and spare the entity a lot of trouble.
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