Background

Verification
(BGV)

Getting Started
 Index

1. Fundamentals of Background Verification 04

What is Background Verification (BGV)?
Why do companies need background verification?
Six compelling reasons to run background checks on all
job applicants
2. Selecting packages and types of background checks 13
Selecting Packages
Types of Background Checks
3. What is the validity of a check? How often should you 24
background verify your
employees/contractors/partners?
4. How to select a background verification service provider? 26
5. What is the general process of conducting background 29
verification?
6. How to create a great first impression for candidates
36
through background verification and why it's important.
WHY SHOULD YOU READ THIS GUIDE
Background verification is the first step in the process of
onboarding an employee/partner/vendor and the first
impressions go a long way in a long-lasting relationship
between an employer, employee and other stakeholders.
This guide helps you plan your background verification
process better and ensure that the HR team in your
organization, as well as the candidates/partners/vendors,
have a delightful verification experience.

WHO SHOULD READ THIS GUIDE?

​All HR Professionals especially the ones just starting out
their career in HR/Recruitment must read this guide to
understand the importance of background verification and
how to set it right from the start.

This guide also helps experienced HR professionals brush

up on their knowledge about background verification and
stay up to date with the latest trends on the topic.

03
04
 CHAPTER 1

Fundamentals
of Background
Verification
What is Background Verification (BGV)?
Background verification is verifying the accuracy of the
information provided by an
employee/applicant/partner/vendor on their
resume/application. This process typically includes
verifying the individual's identity, education, employment
history, references and more.

Who all needs to be checked in BGV?

As a general rule, every person that an organization hires
or works with
(candidates/employees/partners/contractors/vendors),
must be background verified to ensure the reliability and
safety of all the stakeholders and assets of the
organization.

Apart from organizations, background verification is also

recommended for the people who help around your
respective homes (drivers, house help, security guards,
etc…)

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04
Why do companies need background
verification?
Every bad hire is equivalent to a rotten apple. They take
pleasure in spoiling the work culture and the mindset of
the team members. You can calculate the true cost of a
bad hire as follows:

Quantitative Loss

Every bad hire can bring down the chances of leveraging

an organization’s resources productively. You might
invest in coaching, training, and mentoring along with
disciplinary actions and performance reviews.

Be it spending on administration and designing tools,

your overall effort wouldn’t prove fruitful. When the
employee leaves, you might have to restart it. This would
lead to potential costs of a bad recruitment decision in
terms of financial burdens and loss of productivity.

The average cost of one bad hire is nearly $15,000!

(Source)

The Undercover Recruiter reports bad hires can cost

$240,000 in expenses. Those are broken down into
costs related to hiring, pay, and retention. (Source)

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04
 Additionally, here are three points to consider when
trying to determine the cost of a poor hire:

The higher the position (and thus higher the

salary), the higher the cost of the wrong hire
The longer the ill-placed person has worked at
the company, the higher the cost of the bad hire
The more training wasted on the person, the
higher the cost of the bad hire

Qualitative Loss

While any bad hire can imply productivity loss, it is often

the good employees who need to compensate for the old
and forgotten misgivings. This can pave the way for
deprivation among top performers. Remember, this
hullabaloo can keep dragging long after the bad employee
has left the organization.

Research states that 43% of companies got fizzled up

with bad hires since they had to hire a person ASAP.

Another form of cost of poor recruitment and selection

can be the negative impact on co-workers and the team
as a whole. If they are in a leadership position, the impact
can be much worse. Self-motivation often relies on
environmental factors. If the environment is negative, it
can be challenging to be motivated at work. A bad hire
can make it difficult for a team to meet their goals. That’s
because a co-worker or team will be hesitant to work with
them and vice versa. 07
They can impact everything from the cost of screening,
assessments, candidate selection, as well as other hiring
processes such as technology and travel costs. From exit
formalities to severance packages, everything would
come under the radar of a bad hire. This can have serious
impacts on the overall business culture.

To avoid such unpleasant situations, businesses have to

forgo hasty hiring decisions. A bad hire can pose a long-
term threat, whereas a good hire can let you win a
fortune. Employee background verification can help you
make smart hiring choices.

08
There are six compelling reasons to run
background checks on all job applicants:
Avoid Bad Hires

Resume background verification plays a crucial role in

making better hiring decisions. 84% of employers
continue to derive significant benefits from background
checks.

Appropriate background screening can help you hire right

by verifying all the relevant details, so you don’t have to
let go of your hire later.

Knowing as much as possible about your potential hires is

crucial. After all, the individual you hire will have access
to critical data and documents that belong to your
organization.

Here are three steps that can lower the risk of a bad
hire:
Prepare a list of traits and characteristics that
you’re looking for in a potential employee.
Assess how you will gather the data necessary to
make a successful hiring decision.
Armed with the right data, be strategic with the
interview process to find the right people.

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 Verify the Candidate’s Qualification

You should never solely base a hiring decision on the

review of a candidate’s social media profile. Tailor the
screening process to reflect your industry and the jobs for
which you hire.

Prospective job candidates who are not properly screened

can negatively impact your organization. For example, an
individual who misrepresents their education or work
experience may not produce high-quality results.

75% of HR managers have caught a lie on a resume,

according to a CareerBuilder survey. The resume can no
longer be considered a reliable source of information
about the prospective employee. A thorough verification
(including education, employment, and reference
verification) may reveal some alarming facts that could
impact your hiring decision.

Background checks enable organizations to make

intelligent decisions by hiring only those candidates who
have the required skills and the right attitude and
behaviour to be a perfect cultural fit.

Keep Your Workplace and Customers Safe

Think transportation, finance, daycare, healthcare, and

education, where employees are in direct contact with
customers. Employees who may have access to sensitive
customer information can be a threat to their safety.

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Food delivery company Zomato rejects about 25% of
applications due to various reasons such as unavailability
of proper documents, failure in background check
clearance, and lack of right intent to work as a delivery
partner.

Avoid Negligent Hiring Liability

Negligent hiring can cause harm to businesses,

employees, and clients. When you’re hiring an employee,
you need to make sure they have cleared a background
screening. This helps avoid unnecessary risks and reduce
insurance liability in adverse scenarios.

Suppose you’re hiring a delivery executive for your e-

commerce business. In that case, you need to make sure
that they have a valid driving license without any strikes.
In case they end up in a road accident, remember that
you will be liable for them.

Protecting the Company’s Reputation

A company is made of and known by its people.

Employees are the face of the company, and their
decisions and actions directly impact the company’s
performance and brand reputation. Company image can
influence the sales and even the price of its products or
services.

It is necessary to do a thorough background check of the

executive before bringing him on board. When you hire
individuals who are dangerous or unsavoury, it leaves a
wrong spot on your name. Not to forget that it might also
compromise the integrity of your brand. 11
 Avoid Criminal Activities

Conducting criminal background checks is a crucial step

in bringing an employee on board.

An individual’s criminal history affects not only a

company’s safety but also job performance and
qualification. If you are hiring a stock manager who
handles inventory and funds (the job requires a high level
of trust), it’s important to see if the individual has ever
been charged with theft or fraud.

While it might not always mean rejecting the applicant, it

could refer to minor modifications in the hiring contract.
But the point is that unless you have the complete
background information, there is no way you can make an
appropriate decision.

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 CHAPTER 2

Selecting packages
and types of
background checks
What are packages?
Packages are the set of background checks that you
select for a specific person who is being verified. Every
package includes basic checks such as Identity checks
and address verification along with multiple other checks
based on other factors related to the person being
verified or the nature of work they are in.

How to select packages?

Choosing the package (set of checks) for each
candidate/employee/partner/vendor depends on multiple
factors such as:
Their background
Their nature of work in their new/existing job/project
The industry they are being hired into

For some —identity, education and past experience is of

the utmost importance for their role. For others, who
might be dealing with high levels of sensitive information
in their job—credit history, criminal records and other
such checks are more relevant. So selecting the package
of checks for each person must be carefully considered
based on the above-mentioned factors.

14
Types of Background Checks

Physical Address Verification:

Verifies whether the candidate is residing at the address

mentioned.
The on-ground associate will visit the candidate’s address
in person and confirm if the candidate or their family
members have been staying at the provided address. The
field associate will verify the candidate’s period of stay in
that address and verify any of the below documents to
fulfil the address verification.
Aadhar
Passport
Driving License
Voter ID
Other

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 Digital Address Verification (DAV):

Digitally verifies whether the candidate is residing in the

address provided using DAV.
An SMS is sent to the candidate’s mobile number with the
Digital Address Verification System link. The system asks
the candidate to grant their GPS location and device
camera permission. Their current location is captured to
match the coordinates obtained from the Proof of Address
submitted earlier. The candidate/respondent is also
instructed to provide details of their period of stay, type
of accommodation, relationship with the candidate, and
another Proof of Address confirming the same.

Education Verification:

Verifies the candidate’s academic qualification,

completion of the courses, credentials of the certificate,
and educational institute.
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Verification requests to the education institutions are
made after receiving the following details:
Name of the candidate
Name of the College/University
Board/Registration Number
Qualification Gained
Tenure of Study/Year of Passing

Once we receive verification from the University/College,

we will validate them against the details present in the
BGV form & supporting document submitted by the
candidate.

Employment Verification:

Verifies the candidate's work experience with respect to

what has been specified in the BGV form or other
supporting documents.
Checks whether the employer is listed in the Fake
Employer's Database and if it is registered with statutory
bodies or not. We also initiate direct communication with
the employer seeking verification regarding the applicant.
We gather data relating to tenure of employment, last
held designation, the reason for leaving, eligibility to
rehire, etc.

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 Court Record Verification:

This check aims to verify whether any cases are filed in

court against the candidate.
Court record check covers the below-listed courts:
NCRDC Commission
District Court and Tribunals
High Courts and Supreme Court of India

Identity Verification:

Verifies whether the Proof of Identity submitted by the

candidate was duly issued by the concerned Government
Authorities. The Proof of ID that will be checked
completely depends upon which ID has been chosen to be
verified by the admin on the SpringVerify portal.
The below-listed identity proofs shall be verified with the
concerned issuing authorities.

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 PAN Card (Preferred)
Voter ID
Driving License
Aadhaar
Passport

PAN Card is the most preferred form of ID check because

this database is managed by NSDL and has an extremely
high uptime given that the nation's financial transactions
are linked to it. Compared to this, other Databases like
DL/VID/Aadhaar have significant downtimes where the
service availability can be as low as 30% and up to 65%

Reference Verification:

Verifies the candidate’s professional capabilities and

attributes by contacting the provided/researched
references from the given employment.
Typically the candidate will provide the following
information to initiate the check:
Name of the Reference
Contact Number
Email Address
Designation
Location 19
 Department/Division/Team
Before approaching said reference, the following
details would be verified to confirm their credibility to
support the Reference Check
Reference’s Current Employer
Relationship with the candidate
Duration of Association

Global Database Verification:

Verifies whether the candidate is directly or indirectly

associated with any organized crimes and is listed in the
databases of Regulatory, Compliance, Debarment, PEP,
and Financial Sanctions authorities globally.

A relevant supporting document/ID consisting of the

candidate's name, address, and father’s name is obtained.
A search is done with the help of various proprietary and
public online databases.

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 Credit Check:

Verifies the credit score of the candidate.

The required details are collected from the PAN card. The
details are updated in the relevant Credit Bureau.

Social Media Verification:

Verifies if the candidate has posted any discourteous,

sensitive, or fraudulent content on their social media
accounts.
There should not be any privacy settings preventing
access to the candidate's profiles to obtain information
about their social media profile.
All posts are examined to find if the candidate has
expressed/revealed any of the following:
Political rants
Racist attitude
Sexual harassment/sexist attitude
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 Confidential Information or Negative Comments on
Previous Employer/Boss/Colleagues
Inappropriate Photos
Mention of Using Drugs
Qualifications (that do not match what is mentioned
on the Resume)
Posts related to a criminal activity/illegal conduct

Passport Validation:

Verifies whether the passport submitted is a valid one or

not.
The information found in the first and last pages of the
passport is used to run against a unique algorithm. Only if
all the characters match, it’s considered to be a valid
passport.

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 Drug Test Screening:

Screen potential hires for possible drug abuse. Designed

to meet integrated command, regulations, and/or specific
company policies and requirements, our Candidate Drug
screening services are convenient and expansive, offering
lab-based drug testing via a vast collection network. With
drug background screening options that match your
needs, location, and costs, we ensure your workplaces are
safe, drug-free, and healthy.

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 CHAPTER 3

What is the validity

of a check?

How often should

you background
verify your
employees/vendors/
partners?
The results of the identity check have validity for a
lifetime. Basic details such as Name, Age, and Education
never change for a person unless rare cases of name
change. However, it is recommended to run credit checks,
criminal checks, drug tests, and court verification,
periodically (6 months to 1 year) as the results of these
checks might change during the course of events.

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04
 CHAPTER 4

How to select a
background
verification service
provider?
A background verification service provider must be
carefully evaluated based on the recruitment team/HR’s
goal or requirement for needing a background verification
service. If you are looking for a BGV service provider just
so you can verify candidates then you can go by ratings
and reviews and select the best ones. But some HRs have
specific goals that need to be fulfilled through the BGV
service provider. Below are some goals and respective
factors to consider while evaluating a BGV service
provider:

1. Save team’s time and effort - If you are looking for a

BGV service provider because you want to save the
team’s time and effort. In this case, you will focus on
eliminating manual email/document exchanges and
find a BGV service provider whose service prioritizes
automation, whose team handles everything from the
collection of documents, reminders, BGV, reporting,
etc.
2. Faster Turnaround Time (TAT) - In this case, you
want checks to be completed as fast as possible so
that you can speed up your onboarding process or
hire faster. You must look for BGV service providers
who focus on faster average TAT.
3. Large Volume Hiring - If you often onboard large
volumes of candidates/partners/vendors and you
need an easy way to manage BGV then your service
provider must have a team with the capability to
process multiple BGV requests at a time.

27
4. Global Serviceability - For organizations with teams
across the globe or with distributed remote teams who
want to keep background verification centralised or with a
single service provider. Your criteria would be a BGV
service provider who has a global network and
connectivity to run checks globally.
5. Simple and easy-to-use dashboard - If you are looking
for a dashboard experience with simple and easy-to-use
features to manage all your BGV processes in one place
then you should evaluate service providers based on their
UI/UX and dashboard features.
6. Compliances - A lot of companies have specific
compliance requirements such as ISO, NASSCOM, etc. So
if your requirement is to only work with a service provider
with specific compliances then that should be your
evaluating factor.
7. Integrations - If you want to have a single HRMS/HRIS
for all your recruitment/employee data and want to
evaluate BGV service providers based on how fast, easily
and seamlessly they can integrate with your existing
systems then you should evaluate your options based on
the factor of Integrations.

There are more kinds of requirements or goals for each

organization/team. So before you start evaluating a BGV
service provider for your organization you need to
understand your goal/specific requirement clearly and
then evaluate service providers based on it.

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 CHAPTER 5

What is the process

of conducting
background
verification?
Step 1: Add Candidate Details
Upload basic candidate details such as name, phone
number and email ID to initiate the background
verification process. While adding the details you can
choose:
a. Whether you would like SpringVerify to take the
candidate's consent for background verification
OR if you would like to collect the candidate's
consent for background verification
b. Whether you would submit all the candidate
details and documents OR would you like the
candidate to do it by themselves

30
04
Step 2: Select which package of background
checks you want to run on the candidate from
the list of packages available to your
organization (based on what you have opted
for initially)

31
04
Step 3: Customize the package based on
the candidate.
Select which of the options you want to proceed with
verifying.

Step 4: Add-on checks (if required)

Add checks that are not part of the package (if required)
and then click on Add Candidate.

32
04
Step 5: A BGV form link gets sent to the
candidate
Using the link candidates can upload their documents,
and details and provide consent to begin the background
verification process.

33
04
34
04
Step 6: SpringVerify begins the
verification process in the backend and
provides real-time updates to the admins
on the SpringVerify portal.

35
04
 CHAPTER 6

How to create a
great first
impression for
candidates through
background
verification and
why it's important
Understand Legal Requirements
Before implementing a background verification process on
your candidates, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with
the legal requirements specific to your industry and
jurisdiction. Different regions may have varying
regulations regarding the types of checks permissible, the
consent required from candidates, and the storage and
disposal of sensitive information.

Stay up to date with local and national laws, consult with

legal experts if necessary, and design your background
check policies accordingly. This could help avoid any
confusions and conduct a seamless experience for the
candidates.

Develop a Clear Policy

Creating a comprehensive and transparent background
check policy is essential for ensuring consistency and
fairness in the hiring process. Clearly outline the types of
checks you conduct, the information you seek, and the
permissible grounds for disqualification.

Communicate this policy to candidates and obtain their

written consent before initiating any checks. This
proactive approach sets the stage for a transparent and
compliant hiring process, building trust with potential
employees. The verification process should ideally start
before candidate onboarding.

37
Partner with a Reliable Background Check
Provider:
Choosing the right background check provider is crucial.
Look for a reputable company that specializes in
comprehensive and accurate checks. Consider factors
such as their industry experience, compliance with legal
requirements, data security protocols, turnaround time,
and customer support.

A reliable provider will ensure the information you receive

is accurate, timely, and legally compliant, reducing the
risk of making uninformed hiring decisions.

Tailor Checks to Job Roles

Different job roles require different levels and types of
background checks. Tailor your background check
process to align with the specific responsibilities and
requirements of each position.

For instance, positions involving financial handling may

necessitate credit and financial checks, while roles that
work with vulnerable populations may require enhanced
criminal background checks. By customizing your checks,
you can maximize the relevance of the information you
gather and minimize potential risks.

38
Ensure Data Security
A background verification process involves handling
sensitive personal information. Safeguarding this data is
paramount to maintaining compliance and building trust
with candidates. Partner with a background check
provider that has robust data security measures in place,
such as encryption protocols, secure storage systems,
and strict access controls.

Regularly audit your provider’s security practices to

ensure they meet the highest standards, and establish
internal protocols to handle and protect sensitive
information.

Communicate with Candidates

Maintain open lines of communication with candidates
throughout the background check process. Inform them
about the purpose of the checks, the steps involved, and
the timelines they can expect. Timely and transparent
communication not only keeps candidates informed but
also reinforces trust and demonstrates your commitment
to a fair and thorough hiring process.

Customize communication for candidates to ensure they

can believe the emails sent to them to share their
personal information. Show empathy, demonstrate your
company culture and be clear and precise in your
communication from the very beginning.

39
If any adverse findings are discovered during the
background verification process, provide candidates with
an opportunity to explain or clarify the information before
making a final decision.

Streamline Onboarding
Offering the best employee onboarding experiences is
essential for a positive candidate experience and the
overall productivity of your organization.

40
04
Integrate your background check services with your
onboarding system to streamline the process. Consider
automating routine tasks, such as sending consent forms
and reminders to candidates, tracking the progress of
background checks, and generating reports. Automation
not only saves time but also minimizes the chances of
errors or delays in the onboarding process.

Train Hiring Managers

Equip your hiring managers with the necessary knowledge
and skills to interpret background check results
effectively. Conduct training sessions to educate them on
the legal implications of the information they receive and
guide them in making fair and consistent hiring decisions..
This training will enable hiring managers to identify
relevant red flags, evaluate the severity of the findings,
and make informed judgments without violating any legal
boundaries.

Regularly Review and Update Policies

Background checks for employment verification and legal
requirements evolve over time. It is essential to regularly
review and update your background check policies to stay
compliant with current regulations. Monitor changes in
local and national laws, and adapt your policies
accordingly.

Regularly assess your background check provider’s

performance and seek feedback from candidates to
identify areas for improvement. By staying proactive and
responsive, you can continuously enhance your
compliance, build trust, and streamline the onboarding
process.

In conclusion, maximizing compliance, building trust, and

streamlining the onboarding process are critical aspects
of an organization’s success. By implementing best
practices in background check services, organizations can
make informed hiring decisions and create the best
employee onboarding experiences while ensuring
compliance with legal requirements.

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About

SpringVerify is a new-age Background Verification Service. Our

network of trusted vendors ensures you can rest while we find
any fraudulent employees/partners/suppliers associated with
your organization.

SpringVerify is India's Best-Rated

Background Checker (Rated 4.9/5
on Google with 700+ reviews)

🤯 SpringVerify dashboard helps users add candidates, keep

track of progress, download reports, make payments and so
much more. No more paperwork or email exchanges.
SpringVerify handles consent, follow-up, verification,
reporting and much more.

🤝 Integrates with your existing HRMS/ATS

🔒 Springworks is an ISO 27001:2013-certified company &

accredited by NASSCOM

📚 Supports Bulk & Seasonal Hiring

💬 Dedicated Customer Support

😎 With the help of AI and Automation SpringVerify makes

background verification Simple, Fast & Flexible. Spend less
than 5mins on background verification and focus on other
vital tasks at hand.

Interested in a demo?
[email protected] +91 90 1990 6005
About

Springworks is the organisation that powers The Shape of

Work community. We’re on a mission to help companies
create category-leading workplace cultures.

We make recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement,

and employee productivity tools for organisations that
prioritise stellar employee experiences.

How Springworks can help your organisation:

RECRUITMENT — Bring intelligence and efficiency to

recruiting. SpringRecruit - Applicant Tracking System
that is forever-free

ONBOARDING — Find the right talent faster with

background verifications (only for INDIA and US geos)
that are seamless, flexible and incredibly reliable, all
powered by the blockchain. Check out SpringVerify

44
About

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT — Build a culture everyone

wants to be a part of. Inspire your team to reach new
heights, have a laugh at work and engage deeper.

Appreciate, celebrate, listen to and

reward your employees. All in one R&R,
Pulse Survey, eNPS tool for Slack and
Microsoft Teams

Your AI-powered knowledge bot for Slack.

Albus uses GPT-4 to build a comprehensive
knowledge base from Google Driveᵀᴹ,
Notion and more, making information
easily accessible with natural language
queries

Interactive games for team-building right

inside Slack and Microsoft Teams

We know a thing or two about building exceptional company

culture. At Springworks, employee well-being is the top
priority. This has led to a remarkable 4.5 rating on Glassdoor
for our 170+ employee strength company. If you’re
interested in knowing the kind of initiatives Springworks is up
to in terms of Employee Experience, do follow Kartik
Mandaville (CEO, Springworks) on LinkedIn.

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