February 2023 Summaries

Black History Month is a time to reflect on the history, culture, and excellence of Black individuals, with many employees at Checkr sharing their personal perspectives and experiences as part of the Black community. For them, it means recognizing and honoring achievements, struggles, and contributions made by Black people throughout history, and celebrating resilience in the face of adversity. It's also an opportunity to learn more about African American culture and history, honor legacy, and work towards building a more equitable future. Many employees celebrate through events, festivals, supporting black-owned businesses, reading books by African American authors, and simply being proud of their identity. Being part of the Black community at Checkr allows them to contribute to shaping the company's future and create an environment of inclusion and support.

As a CFO at Hyer, Joey Dempsey emphasizes the importance of speed and security in hiring processes, which Checkr empowers by providing a convenient background check solution that enables quick onboarding and reduces liability. With Checkr's help, Hyer has been able to scale its operations rapidly while maintaining brand integrity, grow its customer base, and reduce fraudulent activity on the platform. The integration of Checkr's API with Hyer's system allows for seamless workflow and process automation, ensuring timely completion of background checks and enabling the company to continue growing at a fast pace. By leveraging Checkr's capabilities, Hyer has been able to attract and retain high-quality candidates, fostering an organic growth model that benefits both workers and businesses alike.

The VP of Chekr.org, Ken Oliver, emphasizes the power of apprenticeships in supporting justice-impacted individuals in gaining in-demand skills and accessing meaningful employment opportunities. AsanaUP, a successful apprenticeship program by San Francisco-based tech company Asana, has hired over 80 apprentices since its inception in 2019. The secret to their success lies in setting clear expectations, providing support, and offering regular feedback, resulting in an 82% conversion rate of apprentices to full-time employees. To get started with an apprenticeship program, organizations can explore free and sponsored resources, subsidies, and incentives available through government agencies, community colleges, industry associations, and private firms. By implementing apprenticeships, companies can not only source highly qualified talent but also contribute to a more diverse workforce, boost DEI efforts, and strengthen their economy.

Many American companies require employees to comply with workplace drug testing policies, which vary depending on federal, state, and local laws, industry requirements, and organizational needs. The main reasons for mandating different types of drug tests include increasing absenteeism and decreased productivity due to illegal drugs, certain prescription drugs, and the presence of alcohol, as well as providing a secure working environment and attracting top talent by being transparent about testing methods. Different kinds of drug tests, such as urine testing, hair testing, oral fluid testing, breath alcohol testing, blood tests, and others, are used to identify specific substances and their detection windows. Employers conduct drug tests for various purposes, including pre-employment, post-accident, random, periodic, return-to-duty, and reasonable suspicion scenarios. Despite the varying types of tests, no type of drug testing is 100% reliable, with false positives less likely than false negatives, provided strict collection, handling, and analysis procedures are followed.

''Salary transparency laws are on the rise, aiming to promote equitable pay and reduce disparities in compensation. Despite federal laws promoting pay equity, disparities still exist, with women earning 76 cents for every dollar men earn, while black and Hispanic men earn less than their White male counterparts. To address this, many states and cities have passed laws requiring salary transparency, which involves publicly posting salary information and sharing it with employees internally. These laws are gaining traction due to popular demand, with 79% of respondents wanting some type of salary transparency, 32% wanting complete transparency, and 68% willing to change jobs for an employer with greater salary transparency. The benefits of salary transparency include improved hiring efficiency, attracting candidates, enhancing employee satisfaction, improving job performance, and creating a competitive advantage in the hiring environment.

The workplace is continuously evolving, with the past few years accelerating change across many industries, reflecting on what employees truly need from employers and their careers. To attract, hire, and retain ideal candidates, companies must consider how they'll adapt to meet these changing priorities. The top employee expectations include prioritizing mutual goals and values, offering flexibility, and promoting employee wellbeing. Companies can develop strategic solutions such as clearly communicating company goals and values, integrating them into employee culture, and providing opportunities for employees to volunteer or share ideas. Offering flexible work arrangements can empower employees to do their best work in an environment that suits them, making work more accessible to people with disabilities. A comprehensive approach to wellbeing includes physical and mental health resources, open communication, and personal development opportunities. By addressing these priorities, innovative and inclusive companies can create a culture where everyone can succeed.