The Ethics of Background Checks in HR

The assignment discusses the concept of human resource management, specifically focusing on recruitment and selection processes. The importance of a proper justification for a background check is highlighted, along with the right of employers to investigate an applicant's personal and professional history to ensure they are not involved in unethical or criminal activities. The use of social media and online activity as a factor in hiring decisions is also touched upon, with over 71% of employers reportedly checking applicants' online presence.

Running Head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 1
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 2
Recruitment and selection
I personally think employers possess the right to check the background of the employees to
some extent. Some employers also tend to find out about the background by hiring an
individual for doing a background report and reporting to them. I don't think there is a proper
justification for a background check. There is definitely a right from the employer to check
the background of the employees. The background check and reference check mainly stands
for the investigation that is undertaken by an employer over the applicant as well as the kind
of information an applicant has furnished in there related to their personal and professional
history and making sure that the applicant is not at all involved in any unethical or criminal
issue in their past (Backman, 2011).
Even if the checking consists of social media, pictures, blogs or writing that can be directly
found on the internet is correct if the job demands that. In the recent times, it has been
observed that most of the employers prefer selecting the employees on the basis of their
social media activity as it gives a clear picture of the candidates that they are about to hire. As
per a lot of surveys, it has been indicated that more than 71% of employers check out the
applicants on the internet when they are hiring. On the basis of the applicant's social media
activity, blogs, if the employers find any indication of heavy drinking, drug use, violent
imagery, and etcetera then they reject their application as it reflects them as a person.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 3
References
Backman, C. (2011). Vocabularies of motive among employers conducting criminal
background checks. Acta Sociologica, 54(1), 27-44.