What background checks are employers conducting?

More than half (57 percent) of HR professionals are somewhat or very concerned about workplace violence according to the Society for Human Resource Management's Workplace Violence Survey released on January 20, 2004. Compared to a similar survey done by SHRM in 1996, the number of respondents reporting they conduct criminal background checks has increased by 29 percent. Eighty percent of HR professionals now say they conduct such checks and 35 percent conduct credit checks to screen potential employees, an increase of 16 percent from 1996. Eighty-two percent of HR professionals report their organizations investigate the background of potential employees. This is up from 66 percent in 1996. For more information on the survey, see What can trigger workplace violence?¶83,060 .