Manufacturing a Safer Workplace: The Crucial Role of Pre-Employment Screening

Having trustworthy and competent employees is important for every business, but especially those operating within the manufacturing industry in high-risk environments. Ensuring staff safety, maintaining quality control and preventing theft are all critical to the success of any manufacturing operation. Having procedural pre-employment screening checks in place, using software such as Checkmate, helps to minimise the risk of potentially avoidable and costly issues and contributes to several factors that ensure a secure and efficient workplace.

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Enhancing Workplace Safety

Manufacturing environments often involve heavy machinery, hazardous materials and complex processes that require careful attention and adherence to safety protocols. The State of a Thriving Nation 2023 Report by the Business Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum found that workplace injuries and deaths cost the New Zealand economy around $4.4 billion. By ensuring thorough background checks, including criminal records and drug testing, businesses can identify unsuitable candidates with a history of safety violations or unsafe practices and reduce the risk of accidents and incidents in their workplace.

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Ensuring Quality Control and Assurance

Quality control is a cornerstone of manufacturing, directly impacting product reliability and customer satisfaction. Verifying a candidate’s educational background, work experience and professional certifications helps ensure they have the necessary skills and expertise to uphold stringent quality standards. This minimises the potential for errors and defects, reducing costly recalls and reworks and ensuring a consistent output of high-quality products.

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Preventing Theft and Fraud

Theft and fraud can have a significant financial impact on manufacturing companies. The 2023 CERT NZ annual summary found that businesses and organisations lost around $1.9 million to scams and fraud, a rise from the $956k in 2022. Having consistent pre-employment screening processes during recruitment, including financial background checks and previous employment verification, can help businesses identify candidates who may pose a risk of theft or fraud, protecting company assets and reducing potential losses.

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Compliance with Industry Regulations

Manufacturing industries are subject to various regulations and standards, from environmental laws to safety guidelines, with non-compliance potentially leading to substantial fines and legal issues. Having thorough background checks in place helps ensure that new hires meet all regulatory requirements, such as having the appropriate certifications or clearances. This ensures businesses maintain their compliance and minimise the risk of any legal complications.

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Keep Your Candidates Safe with Checkmate

Pre-employment screening is essential in enhancing workplace safety, ensuring quality control, preventing theft and fraud and complying with industry regulations, especially for the manufacturing industry. Investing in thorough background checks during the recruitment process can help manufacturing businesses build a reliable and competent workforce that maintains safety and success.

At Checkmate, we specialise in helping businesses minimise risk and maximise their potential through our comprehensive pre-employment screening services. Our detailed and compliant screening software ensures you hire the best candidates, every time.

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