3 Critical Components of a Global Background Check Program

Traditionally, global background checks were necessary for international organizations, businesses with offices in more than one country. Offices in each country needed to conduct background checks when hiring candidates for their local office. This is no longer the case. With the ease and appetite for travel rapidly increasing over the last two decades, it is common for individuals to live and work abroad, and sometimes return to their native country with a resume including years spent across different regions. Today global background check programs are frequently necessary for both international organizations as well as US organizations that hire a diverse set of candidates.

This can present a challenge for organizations not equipped to handle international background checks. When the situation presents itself, and a US-based organization needs to run a background check for a candidate that spent years outside the country, many are left scrambling to quickly identify a partner that can accommodate a global background check and develop a program that includes the requisite support.

Over the last ten years, we have worked with many companies to develop global programs. We’ve learned a lot from our customers, from our successes and from our mistakes. Today, leveraging our relationships and learnings we continue to build out world-class global programs for our clients. There are three components we have identified as critical to a successful global screening program.

1. Create A Single Center of Excellence with Representation from Every Region

Over the years, we’ve seen the pendulum swing in two vastly different directions. First, global programs were very US-centric. They were driven by the US region who determined the requirements, the programs and the process. Once defined, it was rolled out across all other regions.

Regions outside the United States really struggled to meet the requirements and implement a program that was defined with only the United States in mind. With major differences in every country from culture to local laws to languages, every region was struggling to adapt to the US defined program. There was a lot of resentment and regions pushed back.

This led to a geographic centric model, where every region defined their own requirements and their own process and programs. While this model provided autonomy in every region, with the ability of each region to develop a program that complied with their laws and requirements, this created its own set of challenges. Organizations did not have consistent policies across the globe and could not manage background checks at a global level.

Finally, we’ve settled on a hybrid, which has been very effective across the globe. While there needs to be a consistent set of requirements and standards supported across the organization, they need to be developed with an understanding of all the regions in which they will be implemented and supported.

Today Sterling works with clients to develop a single center of excellence, where the requirements are defined globally; however, while the center of excellence is physically in one location, it includes representatives from every region to ensure every region’s nuances are accounted for.

2. Develop One Framework with Flexibility in Execution

While there are many differences in background checks across regions, there are many aspects that can be consistent regardless of local laws or culture. It is important that an organization define a global program with a single framework by defining those attributes that remain the same and implement effectively across all regions while managing globally. This includes:

• Goals and objectives aligned with corporate values regardless of region or location
• Common set of defined terminology to enable organizations to have the same language and promote conversation globally across the organization
• Consistent client and candidate experience – regardless of country, every hiring manager is following the same process, and every candidate is leveraging the same software

Conversely, there are many differences across regions within the program execution. And so the program must support flexible execution of the framework across regions.

For example, a single platform can be selected and rolled out globally. While every region is leveraging the same provider, software, and user interface, the interface can include variability in the candidate questions in each region, and the interface language can vary as well based on region.

Another example is complying with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). GDPR is a regulation in European Union (EU) law covering data protection and privacy. While the US has sector-specific laws and state-level legislation around data protection, the GDPR was designed to harmonize data privacy across the whole of the European Union, allowing citizens to better control their data with a need for privacy by default and giving individuals the right to request the deletion of their data – with businesses facing significant fines if these obligations are not met.  However, regardless of the data collected, or the candidate questions asked, the experience remains consistent. The data (albeit different data) is presented in the same way, the same governance structures are defined around decision making, and the same terminology is used across teams.

The program, products, and technology need to be flexible and dynamic to account for the cultural and legal differences within the consistent framework and experience.

3. Regional Support

To successfully support our client’s global background check programs, Sterling mirrors client program models with client support. We look at the center of excellence which includes representation from the varying regions and develop a center of excellence in the same region while building ‘satellite’ support in each of the respective regions. The satellite support is critical, because by building out a team in every supported region we develop in-market expertise that we wouldn’t otherwise have access to. With this knowledge, not only is the team equipped to support the region in their language with an understanding of local laws and culture but can work to develop solutions and fulfillment that directly supports the regional market.

A Background Check Program Is Never ‘Set It and Forget It’

A global background check program is no different than a standard program in that it constantly requires tweaking. Legislation changes, technology advances, and new data becomes available. As a result, the Sterling Customer Success team partners closely with clients to provide regular guidance, best practices, and recommendations. We are continually learning and adapting, as well as adding new products to support our clients.

Are you ready to develop a global background check program, or review your existing program and see if it needs tweaking? Contact us for more information.

The information contained herein is for informational purposes only. Sterling is not a law firm, and none of the information contained in this notice is intended as legal advice. Clients are encouraged to consult with their legal counsel about the impacts of any requirements. This, and other important information can be found on the Sterling website at sterlingcheck.com.