Analysis of HireRight’s EMEA screenings for the first quarter of 2013 reveals hiring rates to be 5% up compared with the same period in 2012. Coupled with 0.3% growth in GDP for the same period, the signs are optimistic that we are trending towards a more positive recruitment climate after an erratic prior 18 months.
This is the second consecutive quarter that HireRight screening volumes have increased year on year and the March REC/KPMG Report on Jobs also showed a rise in both permanent and temporary job postings in the UK, albeit more modest than in previous months. However, the next three months will be critical to see if recruitment activity continues to grow in line with the usual seasonal highs we expect to see through the spring and summer months.
Not all of the findings from HireRight’s Q1 2013 analysis were quite so positive. At the end of 2012, the prevalence of irregularities in employment applications had fallen to its lowest point for 12 months. Unfortunately this respite was short lived, and March 2013 has seen the number of applications containing at least one discrepancy rising to an alarming 57%.
Failure to identify that professional qualifications and memberships were fabricated or lapsed could have significant implications for employers by compromising standards and safety, and exposing companies to potential lawsuits and reputational damage.
