Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
(Editor’s Note: Today’s article is brought to you by our friends at Accurate Background, a leading provider of compliant background checks, drug and health screenings, and Form I-9 verifications. They’ve been named to Inc. Magazine’s list of the fastest-growing private companies for the seventh time. Congrats to them. Enjoy the read!)
With unemployment at record lows, organizations need to think about how to make their recruiting processes more inclusive. The recruiting function will not be successful if all it’s designed to do is screen people out. The process needs to be focused on creating good matches with candidates and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs).
One effort that organizations should consider in their recruiting strategy is second chance or fair chance employment. This is the practice of hiring individuals with criminal histories.
Before we go any further, I think there’s some background information worth sharing. According to The Sentencing Project, between 70M and 100M – or approximately one in three Americans – have some sort of criminal record. Communities of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with histories of abuse or mental abuse are disproportionately affected. The bottom-line is there’s a large group of people who have criminal records.
And having a criminal record doesn’t necessarily mean being incarcerated. Of the 70M people with a criminal record, only 10% have been incarcerated. The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world (but we’ll save that conversation for another day).
I’m bringing up these statistics about criminal records and incarceration because we, as HR professionals, need to educate our organizations. There could be are people who think that everyone with a criminal history has gone to jail and that’s simply not true.
Organizations are looking for employees. And there are candidates – qualified candidates – out there. This is an opportunity to give a person who wants a job … a job. In addition, for organizations that are focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), this is an opportunity to help individuals who have been disproportionately affected by giving them a job.
Now, I understand that some people might be thinking, “I’d love to do this, but our jobs and industry require that candidates be able to get a security badge, etc. This often impacts the eligibility of candidates with a criminal history.” Before you leave today’s article, hear me out.
I recently learned of an organization called the Second Chance Business Coalition. It’s an organization that promotes the benefits of second chance employment. Its members include financial institutions, airlines, software companies, manufacturing firms, retail, and more. So before completely dismissing the idea that “it can’t be done”, check out this organization. Especially the “find a partner” section of their website. It’s possible that it can be done.
Let’s move on to the reasons to consider second chance employment. In thinking about the research, there are four beneficiaries of second chance employment. And those beneficiaries are the reasons that organizations should consider.
ORGANIZATIONS: Since we’re business professionals, let’s first discuss the benefit to the organization and the bottom line. According to research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 81% of HR professionals said that their cost per hire was about the same – or less – than workers without criminal records. So, it doesn’t cost more to give people second chances.
Plus employees are loyal to the organization. On the Kroger website, they talk about their New Beginnings program, which gives talented people second chances. They report a 93% retention rate with program participants. We all know turnover is expensive. Second chance programs can reduce cost per hire and increase retention.
CUSTOMERS: Don’t forget why we’re talking about hiring in the first place – the customer. In the same SHRM report, 85% of HR professionals believe that workers with criminal records perform their jobs at the same level or better than workers without. 75% said workers with criminal records are just as dependable. Giving people second chances doesn’t mean the organization isn’t hiring qualified people. We need to eliminate the bias that giving someone a second chance means the candidate is second rate.
CANDIDATES / EMPLOYEES: Second chance programs help people get jobs. It’s time to put the conversations about “people just don’t want to work anymore” in the rear-view mirror. People looking for a second chance want to work. They have skills. They want to move on with their life.
And business leaders want this as well. Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase & Company, penned an opinion article in The New York Times about the importance of supporting individuals who have “paid their debt to society”. It’s worth checking out.
COMMUNITY: When people with criminal histories can find work and stay employed, recidivism in the community is reduced. In the United States, almost 44% of individuals with a criminal conviction return to prison within their first year out. To understand the impact, the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that provides research to increase public safety and strengthen communities. They have a chart on their website that shows the cost of recidivism by state population. For example, Wisconsin ranked highest at $72 per resident.
Recidivism impacts everyone. And we have the resources to stop it.
Second chance employment allows people who want to work get a job. Companies get talented employees who are loyal to the company. Customers get excellent products and services because companies have enough staff. And communities can thrive. THIS is why second chance employment is important and why organizations should spend some time considering it.
In fact, if you want to learn more about second chance employment, including how to integrate it into your recruiting strategy, join me and the Accurate team on Wednesday, July 26 at 11a Pacific / 2p Eastern for a webinar on “Fair Chance Hiring for Your Workplace”. We’ll be doing a deeper dive into second chance employment – sharing more resources, talking implementation strategies, and how background screenings play a role in the process. I hope you can join us.
A growing number of organizations are developing second chance employment programs. Because it’s the right thing to do. And it makes good business sense. When you can do both, it kinda seems like a no-brainer that’s a win for all.
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