The food service industry is fast paced and continually changing. Add in high staff turnover rates and it can be challenging to keep up with the demands of this complex industry. While the food service industry can be lucrative, the costs associated with recruiting and training are substantial and it can take months to recoup the investment on a new hire.
In this article, we’ll tell you how conducting background checks can improve employee retention rates and increase your bottom line by screening out high-risk employees, leaving you with qualified, trustworthy candidates to choose from.
When you need to hire quickly, it’s tempting to skip the pre-employment screening process, but screening potential candidates and conducting background checks will help you find applicants who are not only qualified but can contribute to a safe work environment for your employees and customers.
Many food service industry employers don’t check references when they’ve found a candidate that meets their basic criteria because they don’t want to take the time but it’s an essential step in the hiring process.
Calling references can help you verify the accuracy of an applicant’s employment history and learn how they performed in their past jobs. Make a list of relevant questions to ask, such as:
If an applicant can’t provide any references, consider it a red flag. Hire only those applicants who have good references.
A background check can reveal more about a candidate than just criminal history. It can also give you insight into a person’s character. This is especially critical in the food service industry where the opportunity for theft and fraudulent activity is often present.
Employee theft costs U.S. businesses billions of dollars each year. Because of the large amount of consumables in the food service industry, stealing isn’t limited to cash. Things such as food, alcohol, and equipment are also prone to theft.
In addition, sensitive customer information is often shared with food service employees, making customers vulnerable to credit card skimming and identity theft. With so much at stake, it’s critical to conduct background checks so you can to hire employees that are trustworthy.
Here are 3 ways background checks can benefit your food service business:
Regardless of which position you’re hiring for, background checks for the food service industry should always include these 7 essential elements:
Background checks are a good way to screen out high-risk applicants but red flags shouldn’t automatically disqualify promising candidates from food service industry jobs.
If you see red flags in a background check, consider if they’re relevant to the position you are filling. For example, if the candidate has a driving record but the job they’ll be performing doesn’t require any driving, you may choose to overlook it. If the red flags are relevant, give the candidate an opportunity to explain the circumstances.
If the background check turns up a criminal record, you may want to consider the following factors:
A background check isn’t a pass or fail test but rather a tool that can help the food service industry make informed hiring decisions.
Adding background checks to your hiring process will help you find qualified, trustworthy employees. When you hire employees who are a good fit for your business, you have a greater chance of keeping them for a prolonged period of time. Long-term employees are more efficient, contribute to a stable work environment, and form better customer relationships, all of which leads to greater success and a healthier bottom line.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.