2020 will be the year where technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation shape the Human Resource (HR) industry. The changes in the HR industry involve, among others, how companies recruit employees, risk management, and employee data management. These changes present a challenge for screening companies in providing their business services.

Screening integrated into HRIS

According to the Business Development Manager of Integrity Thailand, Khwanthip Sooksung, HR is no longer conservative management since moving to AI. The HR industry now sets priorities for the importance of HR Management System & Technology. She said the trend has become a focus and been widely discussed in HR events in Asia and globally.

Recruitment management, candidate data, screening, onboarding, employee data, time attendance, leave, claims, payroll, performance, development, talent management, rewards & recognition, exits, go mobile in one platform. All data is used by HR to analyze and assess through the app.

“This change set the implication to the screening companies by developing their proprietary online screening application. Meanwhile, they need to be flexible and capable of integration with other HR Management System / partnerships to respond to this HR trend, “explained Sooksung.

The API integration allows screening modules to be easily added or integrated into the use of HR information systems (HRIS).

Personal background screening

The gig economy is characterized by an increase in freelancers at the global level. Based on data from Freelancing in America 2019, 57 million people in the United States work as freelancers. This figure increased compared to 2018 with a figure of 56.7 million people. Sribulancer, a service platform that bridges between companies and freelancers, released a research stating that the number of freelancers in Indonesia in 2019 increased by sixteen percent compared to 2018.

Aside from becoming ordinary, working with freelance workers carries risks for employers. The good news, the risks can be prevented through screening.

“I see that most reputable companies in the market today are stricter on their security or risk management policy when they work with freelancers, vendors or third parties. They set their requirement, and screening is one of the concerns, “explained Sooksung.

Screening on freelance workers drives innovations and trends called personal background screening. It allows freelance workers to conduct self-screening using online screening applications, which are now widely offered by many screening companies. The result of self-screening of freelance workers is a security guarantee requirement for employers.

“I think this is an opportunity, and there will be more demands in self-screening area that can be expected,” she added.

Continuous background screening

Ideally, background screening should not be done for only one time. Once an employee passed the pre-employment screening and got hired, it does not guarantee employers to be free of risks from the employee. The employee’s data can change over time such as ID, driving license, and criminal records. Therefore, employers should conduct continuous background screening, which is basically a concept of real-time monitoring technology on employee’s records to flag internal risk threats. Online ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lafyt have already used such technology on drivers for the safety of passengers.