As seasoned HR leaders will know all too well, the pace of change in the world of work has accelerated enormously in recent years. Events such as the global pandemic and a subsequent rethink of working models, through to the growth of the gig economy and the digital revolution, have all impacted the evolution of businesses, employment, and people management.

All this progressive change is generally considered a good thing. Talent can now be employed in a far more flexible way, making it easier for firms to adapt quickly to developments in the market as well as hire more globally. These flexible and more remote hiring models also enable greater opportunity to have increasingly diverse workforces – though improvements can always be made in this area.

However, with this shifting landscape comes new and emerging challenges that HR teams are having to respond to – and it’s not all about skills shortages.

Geographical nuances

An increasing number of HR teams are now managing a more global and remote workforce. Aside from the challenge of virtual vetting, the increased international remit presents a further barrier for pre-existing screening processes.

Consistency in the experience of applicants is key for HR teams. However, the nuances in global and local legislation mean that processes can’t simply be lifted and replicated in other geographies. Global and local regulations, as well as the data you can and can’t legally capture, varies across countries. These requirements are also far from static and are constantly being updated. New regulation such as the EU AI Act will also impact screening and onboarding for international employers that have any involvement with EU job seekers.

While geographical variations won’t affect all employers, one element that certainly will be of relevance to the vast majority of HR teams is the increased flexibility of working models. Managing a screening program around a fluid workforce is akin to a juggling act, but perhaps the greatest demonstration of the evolving world of work that we are all trying to stay ahead of is the gig economy.

The growth of gig

When it comes to employment screening, the gig workforce is a difficult one to navigate. There’s a lot to factor in and prepare for. Aside from the standard vetting that’s needed, the flexible way this segment of the workforce is engaged means that individuals often won’t meet with their employer in person. And thanks to the growth in sophisticated technology, it’s now easier to falsify information. Forging identity documents has long been an issue, but artificial intelligence (AI) means that people can now create falsified videos or even live stream as a fake AI profile in a bid to fool employers, which only adds to the challenges. Companies want to hire authentic people, and the rise in the global nature of work as well as AI make this difficult.

As part of a background check, being able to verify that the person on the screen is truly the person who will undertake the work is more difficult today than it ever has been. Of course, we have seen equally innovative solutions created in response. Digital identity verification is a prime example where emerging tools are able to improve accuracy and efficiency in light of emerging challenges.

Not all fraud is as elaborate as some of my earlier references, but it does demonstrate the increased challenges that HR teams are going to face, particularly as reliance on the gig workforce grows. According to recent Sterling research, a third of UK businesses plan to grow their gig workforce in the next 12 months, so keeping up with screening trends and technology is essential.

Overcoming the challenge of inconsistency

With this in mind, we would usually expect to see an uptick in both the development of more robust screening and gig-specific vetting. However, of the businesses we surveyed, a worrying 80% admitted that they have inconsistent global screening processes, while less than a quarter (20%) currently perform regular checks on their gig workers.

Although respondents did highlight that they carry out the core screening activity we would expect such as criminal record and right to work checks, there is an inconsistent approach among gig employers that are completing additional actions such as public safety verifications. Our experience suggests that this is likely a result of a differing level of awareness of the screening options that are now available. But with gig employment growing, and so many workers coming into close proximity with the general public, this is definitely something which needs to be addressed.

Standardising practices

What has been highlighted, though, is the lack of standardisation in employment screening. Again, this is a broader issue for all workforces where global, local, and sectoral nuances impact vetting requirements. However, for the gig economy in particular, this is more prevalent due to the relative infancy of this employment structure.

The fact that we’re increasingly seeing reports of legal challenges around worker rights in the gig economy demonstrates that there is not yet a clear-cut approach to engaging staff in this manner. This is reflected in screening approaches, with many employers unsure as to both their risks and responsibilities. Indeed, when we asked a selection of some the largest gig employers across EMEA and APAC if there should be a screening standard that all gig companies conform to, two-thirds agreed.

Balancing adaptability with robust frameworks

The challenges discussed above are only a fraction of some of the core complexities that HR teams are facing in today’s landscape, and there is so much more that professionals have to adapt to. Employers do need to be able to respond to an ever-changing business and employment regulation landscape, but they must also ensure that their screening and vetting processes are robust enough to stand up to modern fraud and risky behaviours.

Doing so requires a consistent approach and regular rescreening of all global workers in the talent pools. There may not yet be a standardisation of some elements such as gig screening, but the risks will lie with employers and subsequently their HR teams. Ensuring your firm is able to adapt to these challenges is going to be critical, particularly as we begin to see green shoots of recovery in global economies. Even on a global gig scale, authenticity and trust should remain a top priority.