Rise in rape cases: Corporates launch verification exercise

In the background of the horrendous rape case in Delhi and the national outrage over increase in such incidents, corporates have launched a verification exercise to check background details of employees especially those at junior to middle levels.

A survey found that nearly 52 per cent of companies in different sectors have woken up to the need of carrying out background verification of their new as well as existing employees.

The survey carried out by the industry body ASSOCHAM revealed that a large number of corporates, have already started verifying their current existing and prospective employees at all levels.

The survey majorly focused on broad sectors such as BPO, IT/ITes sector, financial and other services, construction, real estate, hospitality, tourism, FMCG and infrastructure, media and advertising, manufacturing and textiles, logistics and transport operators.

Detail of job applicants prior to hiring them mainly in construction, catering, exporters, event management, merchandising, hospitality, medicare, logistic, housekeeping, guards ,may soon become the norm, the industry body said in a statement.

“Companies are fast realising the benefit of doing background checks of prospective employees or risk hurting their brand image in a fraud case. Screening of job candidates at all levels, and even vendors and contract staff is preferred”, ASSOCHAM said.