Nowadays, a remarkable number of households depend on hiring domestic workers to help cater for their household chores. These domestic workers could range from housemaids to cooks, drivers, nannies, gatemen, and so on. While the idea of hiring domestic helpers is an age-long thing; there are grave risks involved in hiring them ‘off the street’ or from some random source. Now more than ever before, it is essential to run a background check on your prospective domestic worker before allowing them into your home; and thus, giving them access to your family.
In all fairness, not every domestic helper is a criminal. Howbeit, the tide of recent events makes it imperative for one to be cautious about them. Hence, you must go the extra mile to ascertain that your domestic staff are truly who they claim to be. Furthermore, you should embrace measures to help ascertain that they do not ignorantly expose you to criminals either by talking too much or gossiping without caution.
Letting a stranger into your home should not be done without due diligence. Particularly, the media has availed us of various scenarios to back up this position. Domestic workers could inadvertently cause you or your family to be a victim of vandalization or theft if left unchecked. Hence, it behoves you to run a background check before allowing domestic workers access to your family or personal space.
Some of the ways to prevent the dangers of domestic workers involved in criminal activities include:
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Employ domestic help only from known, trusted and government-approved recruitment agencies
Do not hire from random street vendors or by oral recommendation. This method could mean inviting strangers into your life and could come with grievous consequences.
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Criminal record checks should be done before hiring any domestic staff
This way, you are sure that your domestic worker is not wanted by security agencies for a sex offence or any other form of crime.
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Obtain all applicants’ credentials
By this, you should get a recent picture of the individual, their personal information, information about their guarantors, as well as a government-issued means of identification.
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Carry out personality tests
This is one vital but often overlooked phase of recruitment. For instance, before hiring a nanny to look after your kids; it beckons on you as a parent to ascertain that the individual has a personality that gives room for care and compassion. That way, you get to hire someone who is naturally inclined for such a job; as opposed to hiring someone who’s only desperate for the money.
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Conduct medical tests on prospective employees
Medical tests should be performed to ensure that prospective employees are free from contagious medical diseases. Similarly, they should be well taught on protection and preventive mechanisms. Remember your domestic staff will be in contact with you and your family. You do not want to expose yourself and your family to contagious diseases – especially when it is avoidable.
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Install security monitoring devices
Gadgets like CCTV surveillance cameras, voice recorders and other technology tools could come in handy. These tools help you monitor the kind of treatment that’s given to your children, alongside other activities in your residence. This way, you have a chance at identifying and foiling potential dangers. It is imperative that your domestic staff are not aware of these devices in their entirety.
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Do not keep money or extreme valuables at home or anywhere easily accessible by your domestic staff
Sometimes, domestic workers could be prompted to steal or connive with robbers if they’re aware of huge sums or other valuables that are kept within reach.
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Avoid leaving children with domestic staff – if possible
There have been several reports of domestic helpers who abuse and maltreat children in the absence of their parents or guardians. Also, the high rate of kidnapping and other frightening news requires one to be extremely careful.
During the interview process, you should quiz the prospective employee on salient questions that query their background, addictions, habits, and so on. Subsequently, you shouldn’t be quick to judge your domestic workers. You should never leave your kids or important property in full care of your domestic workers. Let trust build over time and let monitoring be a continuous activity.
Always remember to conduct a previous employer check on all new employees. This would help you answer questions around prospective employee’s integrity, self-discipline and overall conduct at work.
For information on how to run background checks on your domestic staff, call Dipo on _______, or send us an email at: verify@klinsheet.com.