고용주는 지원자의 과거를 캐고 다닌다

직원 퇴직에 따른 비용(법무비용, 직원교체 비용 및 재교육 비용을 비롯한)이 차츰 커지고 있는 한편으로, 직장 내에서의 보안과 테러, 사보타지에 대한 걱정도 늘어나고 있다. 그런데도 장래의 직원들에 대해 미리 알아보려는 노력을 기울이는 고용주들이 별로 없다는 것은 놀라운 일이 아닐 수 없다.

오늘날처럼 불확실한 직장 환경에서 나중에 골치 아픈 경우를 당하지 않으려면 사전에 신중을 기하는 편이 좋다. 간단한 보호 장치 같은 것은 없다. 그러나 과거의 행동은 미래의 행위를 보여주는 최상의 척도이다. 누군가가 이전 고용주에게 두 번이나 소송을 건 적이 있다면 다음 번 고용주에게도 또 다시 그럴 가능성이 높다.

뻑 하면 소송이 난무하는 현 사회에서 누군가의 감춰진 이면을 캐내기란 쉽지 않은 노릇이다. 그러나 잘만 살펴 본다면 대개는 성공할 수 있으며, 문제를 미리 알아내 장차 들 수도 있는 비용을 크게 절약할 수 있다.

다음의 심사기준은 너무 가혹하다고 여겨질지도 모르겠다. 그러나 고용주가 이 같은 간단한 규칙 몇 가지만 엄수한다면 직원 고용에 있어서 안전을 기할 수 있을 것이다.

Scott R. Sargis
EE Times

With the escalating costs of employee discharge (including legal fees, replacement costs and retraining) and the increased concerns about workplace security, terrorism and sabotage, it is surprising that few employers have gone the extra mile to investigate prospective employees. Though the extra costs are minimal, the consequences of inaction are grave.

A July 17, 2001, Wall Street Journal article charged that two top executive search firms, Korn/Ferry International and SpencerStuart, failed to uncover Albert J. Dunlap's track record. The onetime CEO at Sunbeam Corp., he was later axed, and the company sued for wrongful acts. Prompted by such increased sloppiness by some of my recruiting brethren, over the last several years, I have pursued private investigator training and will soon obtain a private investigator license.

My training has taught me that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. However, hidden skeletons are hard to uncover in our increasingly litigious society. Few will offer candid and detailed reference checks because of fear of reprisals. Though it is very tough to uncover such information, good detective work will usually prevail. The caveat is that an employer can spend a fortune investigating one employee and still not uncover all relevant information. If employers aggressively follow several simple rules, however, they should be able to ensure that the employee hired is safe.

Employers should make sure to:
- Secure a signed disclosure from candidates authorizing the potential employer to obtain relevant information. Make sure it is properly drawn to give sufficient latitude and protection in the investigation.

- Use experts who are well-versed in uncovering such information. Either properly train internal personnel or diligently hire outside contractors. When considering an outside source, ask for a test of their abilities.

- In addition to thorough reference checks, insist on additional information. Start with a comprehensive summary of all addresses a candidate has lived at over the past seven years. That information can more thoroughly uncover state driving records; county civil and criminal records; state criminal records; federal civil and criminal records; and, when available, state workmen's compensation claims. Also, require a complete physical and drug screening. This may sound like a lot of extra work, but remember: a past DUI or bankruptcy filing can point to future problems in the workplace.

In today's uncertain workplace, it pays to be more meticulous up front to avoid headaches down the road. The ACLU may consider these additional screening measures draconian, but if someone has sued two former employers for workmen's comp and has a bad back, there is a high probability the person will do the same to the next employer. There are no simple protections, but good detective work can uncover problems and save employers a fortune in the future.

< Originally from 04/14/2003 >

경력계발 관련 다음 기사: “When Employees Leave, Make Sure They're Gone”