OVER 2 MILLION BRITONS HAVE LOST JOB OFFERS OVER FAILURE OF FORMER EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE REFERENCES, ACCORDING TO KROLL RESEARCH
- Kroll launches its National Reference Register in the UK to help reduce the administrative burden of providing references on former employees
- 1.2 million people have had to ask their former employer four times or more for a reference
London, UK, February 23, 2009 - New research from Kroll, the world’s leading global risk consulting company, reveals that more than 2 million Britons have missed out on a new job opportunity because former employers have delayed or failed to provide them with a reference(1).
With one in three Britons (35%) claiming they have had to chase their former employer at least once for a reference when changing jobs, Kroll’s findings highlight the extent of the backlog in administering references for past employees within the UK’s busy HR departments. Indeed there are some 1.2 million employees who state that they have had to contact their previous employer four or more times to obtain a reference for a new job.
In an attempt to help organizations ease the administrative burden of providing employee references and simultaneously assist individuals seeking their next job, the Background Screening division of Kroll is today launching its National Reference Register (NRR). The register will give organizations a streamlined referencing system, in which employment data from all past employees is centralized and stored electronically, so that it may be provided quickly, securely and accurately to prospective employers.
The cost of administering employee references should not be underestimated; it can run into thousands of pounds each year for large employers like those in the financial services, retail, hospitality, professional services and public sectors. Likewise adding to the need for a centralized referencing system has been the recent severe economic downturn, which has unfortunately resulted not only in tens of thousands of individuals losing their jobs, but also the failure of a growing number of long-established businesses. The net result is a rapidly increasing burden on the HR community and on the Administrators of failed organizations, all of whom must contend with and respond to an influx of employment verification enquiries.
“HR departments can be frenetic places and it’s perhaps unsurprising that the administration of providing employee references can take a back seat to other priorities,” commented Tony Shepherd, Business Development Director for the Background Screening division of Kroll. “We believe that our new National Reference Register offers a credible alternative that provides benefits to organizations, Administrators and former employees alike.”
Kroll’s register removes the burden from the employer to administer a reference on behalf of an employee who is no longer at their company, freeing up its HR personnel and enabling them to focus on activities that add value to their organization. The service can also benefit Administrators who are dealing with large-scale redundancies from organizations that fail during the current economic downturn.
Shepherd continues, “From the former employee’s perspective, Kroll helps to ensure that the reference is accurate, timely and relayed in a standard format, protecting privacy and speeding up the recruitment process.”
About Kroll
Kroll, the world's leading risk consulting company, performs a wide range of investigative, intelligence, financial, security and technology services through offices in more than 65 cities in over 25 countries. Kroll is a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE: MMC), the global professional services firm.
About Kroll’s Background Screening divsion
The Background Screening division of Kroll serves organizations worldwide with comprehensive screening solutions that help them make empowered decisions and mitigate risks through industry-leading expertise and cutting-edge technology. The accurate, compliant, and timely information that Kroll supplies helps its clients make informed choices in critical areas such as employment, supplier selection, investment placement, and institutional admissions. For more information, visit www.krollbackgroundscreening.com.
About Kroll’s National Reference Register
Kroll’s National Reference Register (NRR) is a streamlined referencing system for organizations. By subscribing to the NRR, employment data from all past employees is stored electronically, ready to be provided quickly, securely, accurately and uniformly to prospective employers. Reference requests for candidates are directed to the NRR website where the information is checked against the data base. The reference is then provided to the reference requester upon receipt of payment.
(1) Based on the Background Screening division of Kroll’s analysis of data from GfK NOP, a leading international market research agency. 1,000 people were interviewed by GfK NOP between 15th – 17th August 2008. Interviews were conducted over the phone. The consumer omnibus research conducted by GfK NOP uses a large sample size that reflects the demographic profile of GB. Given this it is possible to extrapolate figures and make projections from the research results within appropriate confidence intervals.
Contact details:
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Sarah Rowan, Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel: +44 20 7282 1049
Email: sarah.rowan@citigatedr.co.uk