Getting DBS checks was not uncommon in the past with the process implemented more than a decade back. However, companies were quite picky about the people that they were conducting the checks on, and they had to provide a reason behind wanting to get through a DBS check.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a lot more changes to the employment scene. Jobs and businesses were no longer functioning like they were in the past, and their systems were not the same either. One of the main changes was the new approach to the interaction between the employer and the prospective employees. The changes did not come as much of a surprise, but there were significant issues like the two individuals never interacted in-person before being hired.
Not only were they sending their resume online, which was quite common, but they moved to have virtual interviews, which was the new norm. With a large part of the work also coordinated remotely, it didn’t seem likely that people were meeting each other, with the same teams. Teams, whether within the company or coordinating with clients working with the company, were handling most of their work remotely, and were forced to attend their meetings virtually.
To add to the changes taking place, the pandemic had a lot of people losing their jobs since companies were not meeting the deadlines or targets that they were meeting at the same time in the previous year. There were multiple reasons for the change with the most significant ones being the pandemic which in turn implemented massive national lockdowns across several countries around the world.
Depending on the job, the work that an applicant would be handling and the situation that they would be working in, companies had to conduct DBS checks to make sure they were hiring the right fit for the company. When it came to contractors, there were a lot of checks to be handled since many of them were not a direct part of the program. Building contractors, like most other contractors, were only part of one project and not the entire task. Additionally, they would be sub-contracted by an individual who would coordinate the work with them. With a team of people who were not known by most, it only made sense that the employer or their boss handle a DBS check on them.
One of the main reasons for anyone conducting the test was to make sure the people they were interacting with did not have a criminal record. They were working on finding the best approach to making sure it was safe to have an individual on the job, and the others would not find themselves threatened. It was highly recommended that companies do not have a blanked check on their staff since there are different teams and each checked and handled properly, otherwise defeating the purpose of the DBS check. Whether or not an individual needs a DBS check depends on the type of work they are doing, whether they are a full-time employee, freelancer or contractor.
According to a recent study, a lot of people without work and with a criminal record, even if they were not convicted, found it difficult to find work which can be quite challenging for them. They usually then look for work at construction projects since they are not directly working with any vulnerable groups, the bar is not the highest when hiring them and they do not need requirements fo the job. This is one of the reasons why companies should at least handle a basic CRB test when they are picking the people that they are working with. Additionally, if they are picking for higher roles, they should consider going through their DBS certificate.