New Zealand organisations are keen on exploring new options to streamline their employment checks, in particular their Ministry of Justice checks.
Tania Evans, WorkPro Founder, said that organisations are looking to improve business process and productivity and driving efficiencies in every element of their business; this includestheir recruitment and engagement processes.
“Often the recruitment process can be slowed down through various checks, most notably the Ministry of Justice criminal history checks,” said Ms Evans.The ongoing drive for business improvement means that organisations are looking for streamlined business processes that provide them with a point of difference for their internal and external stakeholders.
The Ministry of Justice criminal conviction check provides two tiers of criminal conviction history check: a ‘standard’ check and the new ‘priority’ check. The ‘standard check’ is a free option that provides results in 20 or more working days, while the priority service is a paid service, with a guaranteed 5-day turnaround. To use the Ministry’s service, organisations must choose their one level of service, as well as predict how many checks they will require for the next 12 months. The service is invoiced annually and upfront.
“At WorkPro, it was clear to us that the options available from the Ministry were not enabling organisations, including recruitment companies to process criminal checks quickly in line with their business needs. In response, WorkPro has developed a simple web-based interface for applicants, and enables an employer to select the service level they require for each check. As an approved Third Party of the New Zealand Ministry of Justice, the organisations we work with know that our streamlined process to manage criminal conviction history requests is fully compliant.
“Recruiters and organisations who use WorkPro are already seeing huge benefits in an enhanced recruitment process. In turn, we’ve significantly reduced the hiring time ,” said Ms Evans.
This was the case with Manpower, one of WorkPro’s long-term New Zealand clients. Natasha Russell, Manpower Group Quality Consultant said that when undertaking previous Ministry of Justice checks it was a matter of crossing fingers that the application was received in the mail, and then waiting for the check to be processed and returned. This often took 20 or more days.
“This process impacted us, our associate and our client’s productivity as we required this final check to be finalised to make the placement,” said Ms Russell.
However it was when Manpower had five and half days to place 30 staff in a New Zealand Call Centre for their client that WorkPro really made a difference.
“While Manpower found 30 people, WorkPro worked with them to process the Ministry of Justice Priority checks within the tight deadline. We worked through a public holiday, and kept in constant communication with Manpower to ensure all the checks were completed on time. As a consequence a team of 30 were ready at the call centre from day one”, said Ms Evans.
Linda Jones, Manpower Business Manager said that WorkPro’s ability to offer priority checks when they needed it enabled them to deliver on a client request that they would normally not have been able to meet.
“It has definitely improved our service delivery and we are now able to secure business that requires priority clearance, where in the past we couldn’t,” said Ms Jones.
WorkPro is a specialist web based screening and induction solution that aims to gets people ‘work ready’. Providing services across Australia and New Zealand, WorkPro is fast-becoming the most powerful web-based employee screening, induction, compliance & information management solution available. For more information visit www.workpro.net.au
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