Recruitment has shifted over the past few years. Changes in regulations, new artificial intelligence (AI) systems, and uncertain economies have led to an unforgiving and competitive market for talent.
At the heart of this urgency there is a critical need for fast Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. These checks ensure workplace safety, compliance, and an efficient recruitment process.
How can you keep up or stay ahead in 2025? Speed up and streamline your processes with a platform that does it for you.
Who needs a DBS check and why?
There are different levels of DBS checks depending on what you need them for – Basic, Standard, and Enhanced.
- Basic Disclosure: A criminal record check that shows whether the applicant has any unspent convictions or conditional cautions. Anyone who currently works or is planning to work in England or Wales can have a Basic DBS Basic Check.
- Standard Disclosure: A criminal record check that reveal any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, final warnings or reprimands the applicant has. A person will be eligible for a Standard DBS if they are undertaking a role listed in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
- Enhanced Disclosure: A criminal record check that shows any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, warnings or reprimands the applicant has – as well as any other relevant details held by the applicant’s local police force.
Why are DBS checks important when hiring?
Any type of background check, criminal or otherwise, should be integral to your hiring process. Checking a new or existing employee’s background ensures you have the right people working for you.
Some of the benefits of background checks:
- Protect vulnerable people. DBS checks help prevent unsuitable candidates from working with vulnerable people. They are a vital part of the safeguarding process as it’s against the law to employ someone who is barred from working in regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults.
- Avoid risks. It’s illegal for those barred from working in regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults to do so. You put your organisation and vulnerable people at risk if you don’t conduct necessary DBS checks.
- Have confidence in your new hires. Have peace of mind that you’re hiring the right people for the job. DBS checks, even Basic Checks, give you extra reassurance in candidates.
Hiring challenges in 2025
Organisations across industries face growing challenges in the recruitment space. Rising demand for skilled workers and candidates’ expectations of quick hiring processes make efficiency a top priority.
Top challenges for recruitment in 2025:
- Competition for talent. Uncertain times mean people aren’t as likely to take risks. Moving into a new role or career path? Not unless there’s a good offer on the table. When you find the right talent, you need to make sure their background checks out.
- Remote, hybrid, and flexible working. It’s a bit of a balancing act for companies – stay remote, offer hybrid, completely return to the office? Firming up your policies and understanding what candidates want is crucial. Checks are just as important for remote and hybrid staff.
- Rise of AI. Whether you’re adopting AI or staying far away, it’s creeping into the recruitment process. Adding in a background check can guarantee nothing gets missed along the way.
Why getting DBS checks right is so important when hiring
It’s easy to get ahead of yourself with hiring. You’ve found the perfect candidate and want them to start right away. But if you don’t perform checks that are legally required, you could be sued, endanger society, and suffer major reputational damage.
DBS checks assist employers to make safer recruitment decisions. Making the right decisions the first time is simpler and more cost effective for you.
Problems if you don’t get DBS checks right:
- Delays cost money. The longer you wait for your checks, the longer you wait for a new employee to start. Job seekers are looking for quick, simple recruitment processes and often have multiple opportunities to choose from. By delaying start dates, you risk losing out on top candidates.
- Wrong hires cost time and money. Recruiting is not easy at the minute. With more people sticking to their current jobs, it takes a lot to entice a move. And if that hire turns out to be wrong for your business, it costs you even more time and money to go through the selection process again.
How a platform like uCheck can help your hiring
uCheck is a market leader in providing employment checks of all kinds to suit employer’s needs. You can use the simple platform to speed up the DBS check process when you’re hiring and increase efficiency and convenience for you and your new hires.
Why choose uCheck?
- Speed and efficiency
uCheck offer fast turnaround times, completing most DBS checks within 24 to 48 hours. Our record time? A staggering 13 minutes! This speed helps your hiring process stay on track, especially in competitive markets where delays can lead to losing top candidates to other offers.
With uCheck, you can process enhanced, standard, and basic DBS checks swiftly, helping you fill crucial roles without unnecessary waiting periods. This is crucial in the current job market, where there’s a high demand for quick onboarding.
- Streamlined process with real-time tracking
uCheck’s platform allows employers to manage the entire DBS process in a single, intuitive system. You can monitor progress in real time, meaning you always know where a check stands. Automatic notifications keep you updated at key stages, eliminating the need for constant follow-ups.
- Complete convenience
The platform provides convenience at every step. From initial registration to final results, the process is designed to be simple and efficient:
- Employers register their organisation via an online form that takes less than five minutes.
- uCheck’s system then prompts applicants to submit their details online, reducing paperwork and ensuring accuracy.
- Employers are notified at each step of the process and receive the results as a downloadable PDF.
This easy-to-use tool reduces manual intervention, freeing up time for higher-value activities.
How uCheck enhances the candidate experience
A quick and straightforward hiring process leaves a lasting impression on candidates. When a job application feels efficient and professional, candidates are more likely to feel valued and confident in your organisation. uCheck enables this by providing a seamless experience for applicants, including simple ID verification and efficient updates on application status.
Employers who can offer such a hassle-free hiring process strengthen their employer brand, demonstrating care and respect for the time of their prospective hires. This edge is crucial in building long-term trust and loyalty.
Stay ahead with uCheck
Fast DBS should be a fundamental requirement during any hiring process to maintain efficiency, workplace safety, and an excellent candidate experience. Platforms like uCheck represent the gold standard in modern DBS processing, giving employers the tools they need to hire with confidence and efficiency.
With rapid processing times, secure systems, and user-friendly portal, uCheck aligns perfectly with the demands of modern recruitment. By adopting uCheck, your organisation can stay ahead of the curve, ensuring you’re always equipped to make hiring decisions quickly, safely, and cost-effectively.
