The higher the unemployment rate gets in the UK, the more precautious employers automatically get about the types of people they work with on their team. Throughout the pandemic, more than three million people lost their jobs. While all of them might not be looking to get into the workforce just yet, they were availing unemployment benefits which were the only proper indication of the number of people who lost their jobs
These numbers do not reflect the unemployment rate in the UK since those numbers were significantly lower. With changes taking place in the job market, with most people remote working to the best of their ability, with interviews and work done online, without two people even meeting. With these changes becoming common, it only made sense that companies to invest in going through the backgrounds of the people they were hiring. While this process was followed for the longest time, it was not a mandatory process and only done whenever needed. However, now it was a lot more commonplace for it to be handled, and to get through it without too much of a confusion.
There were various checks that employers could handle if they wanted to understand the backgrounds of the people they were hiring. The most common is the CRB check which can be handled by anyone for a basic background check on the other person. The information usually gathered provides an understanding about whether they had a criminal record or anything else that could be compromising for the vacant job position they are looking to fill. Some job descriptions need more information than that, in which case, there is the DBS check that is handled. Unlike the previous alternative, this one can only be used by an employer to gather information on their current or prospective employees. Other than a criminal record, it provides information on situations, like whether they are suited to work with children or the elderly, depending on their past behaviour. They could have previously recorded misdemeanours as well. Furthermore, people could go through the information of the DBS certificate online without having to leave an office or submit any particular forms. It did ask for the uploading of some information which was overall very convenient.
With all the changes that were taking place and the UK opening its markets, it didn’t seem like it had a significantly positive impact. While small businesses were gathering customers, which were keeping them open after five months of the pandemic, it was not enough to support the economy. The Government is not even sure how the future is going to pan out in the long run since they are considering ending the furlough scheme they had running, by the end of October, which might be a necessity since it will have been powering the economy for eight months by then. Unfortunately, this could also mean that it would cause an increase in the amount of unemployment.
