HireRight’s 2018 Global Enterprise Spotlight Report Reveals Global Challenges, Strategies in Growing Workforce

Report shows ambitious growth projections globally, with finding quality talent and increasing HR efficiencies as top challenges

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- HireRight, a leading provider of global employment background checks, drug testing, education verification and electronic Form I-9 and E-Verify solutions, is pleased to announce findings from the 2018 Global Enterprise Spotlight Report.

This Spotlight Report features insights from HireRight’s 2018 Employment Screening Benchmark survey, focusing on companies with more than 2,500 employees in the US; Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and Asia Pacific (APAC).

The report reveals that hiring forecasts are strong on a global level, with the strongest projections in APAC, where 39% of enterprises expect to increase their workforce by 6% or more. Similarly, in EMEA, 33% of large companies plan to grow by 6% or more. In the US, projections are slightly lower, with 31% of enterprises expecting to increase the size of their workforce by 3 to 5%.

Challenges and planned investments differ region to region

Respondents shared the challenges they are facing in meeting these goals:

  • Making HR processes more efficient was found to be a top concern for EMEA and APAC enterprise companies, with 61% and 46% citing the challenge, respectively.
  • Finding qualified job candidates was a top concern for US enterprises, with 55% citing the challenge.
  • Forty-six percent of companies in EMEA and APAC said creating a strong brand and distinct company culture to attract talent is a challenge. Only 26% of US respondents agreed.

Investment priorities across regions were reflective of the major challenges faced:

  • Making HR processes more efficient was a top investment priority in the US (64%) and APAC (68%), and 58% of APAC companies indicated that adding more technology may be part of their plan to improve acquiring and managing talent.
  • US respondents said they plan to prioritize finding and retaining qualified employees (59% reported both as priorities).
  • Finding qualified candidates was more of a priority to EMEA than APAC (55% and 42%, respectively), while the response was reversed when it comes to retaining good employees (42% in EMEA and 46% in APAC).

“The findings from our Global Enterprise Spotlight Report illustrate that large companies are facing talent shortages on a global level, the specific challenges they’re facing and the strategies they’re using to overcome the shortages vary by region,” said Guy Abramo, chief executive officer at HireRight. “HR departments are finding that it is important to be flexible and forward-looking in their recruiting, hiring and retention strategies, and that background screening supports these goals by finding more qualified candidates and increasing safety, security and compliance. Employing a comprehensive background screening program will allow companies to continue focusing on increasing their workforces while helping to mitigate risk.”

All regions see increased quality hires through background screening, consistent screens internationally

Across all regions, companies consistently cited better quality of hires, more consistent safety and security, and improved regulatory compliance as the top three benefits of background checks. At least 96% of respondents in every region reported finding misrepresentations on resumes. The EMEA region led with 49% of respondents saying that at least 11% of individuals misrepresented information on their resumes or job applications.

The type of screens used for international job candidates are consistent across regions but differ in their priority and subjects.

  • More US respondents conduct global criminal background checks than their counterparts in other regions; while EMEA companies prioritize global education checks and APAC organizations emphasize global work experience/reference checks.
  • Notably, EMEA was far more likely to screen employees hired for financial roles than other regions (EMEA: 22%; APAC: 13%; US: 10%).
  • Almost 90% of all regions report screening contingent, contract or temporary workers.

The complete findings from the 2018 Global Enterprise Spotlight Report can be found here.

Survey Overview and Methodology

HireRight’s 2018 Industry Spotlight compares background check and other employment practices of enterprises with more than 2,500 employees in the US, Europe and Asia. Figures may exceed 100% or may not equal exactly 100% due to rounding or the option to select multiple answers.

About HireRight

HireRight helps employers hire the right candidates, by delivering global employment background checks, drug testing, education verification, and electronic Form I-9 and E-Verify solutions. Employers can tailor HireRight’s extensive screening solutions to their unique needs, giving them peace of mind about their hiring and vetting processes. HireRight’s platform integrates with existing HR platforms and applicant tracking systems, giving organizations and candidates the best possible experience.

HireRight is headquartered in Irvine, CA, with offices around the globe including regional headquarters in London, Mexico City and Singapore. Learn more at www.HireRight.com.

Media Contact:
Kelsey Eidbo
Infinite Global
415.732.7804
kelseye@infiniteglobal.com

Source: HireRight