14 February, 2024
What does "vetting" mean?
In recruitment and employment, employers may introduce vetting to evaluate a person’s background. Vetting of staff and employees has essentially the same principles as background checks, with both aiming to ensure that the (potential) employee is suitable for the position and to minimise the risk of potential problems and inappropriate behaviour. If you search for ‘vetting’ on Google, you may get different results for the term, as vetting can also mean evaluating quality, safety or checking tankers in the oil industry. However, in this article, we refer to vetting in employment.
Vetting of staff and new employees
Vetting is an important part of risk assessment and quality assurance of employees. Carrying out vetting of staff and new employees in Sweden is important for several reasons that are generally applicable regardless of the country, but there are also specific circumstances and legal requirements that may influence the choice to carry out such a process. Here are some aspects to consider:
For certain sectors and jobs, especially in government organisations, Swedish defence forces, and industries with high levels of security, it is crucial to conduct a thorough vetting process to ensure that employees have a clean background and are trustworthy.
In sectors that handle sensitive information and personal data, such as healthcare, finance and IT, it is important to know that employees can handle the information responsibly and confidentially.
In accordance with Swedish labour and data protection laws, it may be necessary to implement certain controls to comply with legal requirements, especially in essential sectors such as energy and food.
Some industries and professions may have industry-specific requirements for staff competences and background. This may include sectors such as healthcare, finance, education and technology.
In all sectors, trust and loyalty are key factors for a successful working environment. By conducting vetting, employers can ensure that they hire people who share the company’s values and are loyal to the organisation’s goals.
Want to know more about how background checks work?
Contact Robbert Remmers, our EMEA Growth and Global Partnerships Director, and he will assist you as best he can.
Vetting of employees and GDPR
Vetting can be carried out by employers, authorities or other organisations to ensure that the people they employ meet the necessary requirements and standards. In Sweden, it is important to be aware of and comply with applicable laws and regulations, especially in terms of data protection (GDPR) and labour law. Different sectors and companies may have different requirements when it comes to employment controls, and it is wise to adapt the process to your company’s specific needs and legal requirements, such as the Swedish security and safety act.
For more information on how to conduct GDPR-safe employee background checks, see our white paper on background checks and the GDPR. Download it free of charge.
The vetting process – what does it involve?
During the vetting process, various methods can be used, including background checks, reference checks, interviews, and assessments of experience. This process is usually important when it comes to recruiting staff for positions where access to sensitive information, trust, or security is crucial. With digitalisation, cyber vetting has also become increasingly included in the process. This is done to review and collate the digital trail of (potential) employees.
The vetting process usually includes:
- Identity check
- Verification of work experience
- Criminal record check
- Credit check
- Education verification
- Pep and penalty list checks, and negative publicity
- Internet scanning
Are you already doing a background check and vetting of (potential) employees?
Taking risks does not always imply higher rewards, at least not when it comes to hiring staff to work for your organisation. You should also be aware of who you are hiring, especially with sensitive information functions. This is a matter of taking the precautionary approach.
If you don’t do vetting
- Risk of mishire that cost time and money
- Create an unsafe working environment for employees and customers
- Increased anxiety among employees
- Increased risk of both image and financial damage to the company
- Risk of fraud
- Easy target for criminal organisations to infiltrate the company
- Hiring people under a false identity puts you at risk of high fines and legal consequences
- Risk of corruption and financial crime within your organisation
Reasons why you should vett your staff
- Improve workplace safety
- Create a safe working environment for employees and customers
- Reduce the risk of fraud and damage to the company’s image
- Strengthen your organisation’s IT and cybersecurity
- Higher quality of employment and hiring people with high integrity
- Compliance with regulations such as the Security Protection Act for security classified professions
- DISA’s checks are 100% GDPR-compliant
- At DISA you get a digital report within a few days
- Save both costs and time from a recruitment error
- Fast and smooth onboarding
Employee background checks have helped several of our customers read their success story
Read about how other organisations have succeeded with their hiring using background checks. At DISA, we use our own background check software, which compiles candidates’ reports quickly and efficiently. In addition, our knowledgeable screening consultants help you through the entire process.
