Nearly one in five Canadians (19 per cent) would exaggerate previous responsibilities in order to land a job, according to a poll released today by ADP Canada Co., Canada's leading provider of payroll, HR, and time and attendance management services.
The ADP BackCheck poll also revealed that Canadian employers are not always diligent in screening or conducting background checks of prospective candidates. Nearly six in 10 of those surveyed (59 per cent) said they had obtained a job without the employer checking references.
Additionally, poll findings reveal that a large majority (84 per cent) would feel frustrated if they knew someone had been promoted or hired at their workplace because they had lied on their résumé. When faced with this knowledge, colleagues are on the fence about what to do: nearly half (49 per cent) would report them. With respect to their boss though, fewer (20 per cent) would blow the whistle if they discovered dishonesty; most (59 per cent) would simply think less of them.
"Hiring the wrong candidate can be costly for employers, in both time and money, and can cause stress within the workplace," says Mark Kohler, Director of Marketing for ADP Canada. "Employers can count on ADP BackCheck pre-employment screening services to help their organization recruit and hire with confidence."
Stretching the truth to get the job
Results of the ADP BackCheck poll show that job-seeking Canadians who stretch the truth fall under one of five "Tall Tale" types:
To help employers make the best choices when hiring, ADP Canada now provides a complete set of customizable pre-employment screening solutions with ADP BackCheck. Proper screening offers employers a number of benefits, including:
More information is available at www.adp.ca/backcheck.
ADP Canada is Canada's leading provider of payroll, HR, and time and attendance management services. For more information, visit adp.ca.
The ADP BackCheck Poll was conducted from September 24 - 30, 2010 using an online survey through Research House. In total, 1,002 Canadians were surveyed. Results for the full sample are considered accurate +/- 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
*Criminal Victimization in the Workplace, Statistics Canada, February 2007.
The ADP BackCheck poll also revealed that Canadian employers are not always diligent in screening or conducting background checks of prospective candidates. Nearly six in 10 of those surveyed (59 per cent) said they had obtained a job without the employer checking references.
Additionally, poll findings reveal that a large majority (84 per cent) would feel frustrated if they knew someone had been promoted or hired at their workplace because they had lied on their résumé. When faced with this knowledge, colleagues are on the fence about what to do: nearly half (49 per cent) would report them. With respect to their boss though, fewer (20 per cent) would blow the whistle if they discovered dishonesty; most (59 per cent) would simply think less of them.
"Hiring the wrong candidate can be costly for employers, in both time and money, and can cause stress within the workplace," says Mark Kohler, Director of Marketing for ADP Canada. "Employers can count on ADP BackCheck pre-employment screening services to help their organization recruit and hire with confidence."
Stretching the truth to get the job
Results of the ADP BackCheck poll show that job-seeking Canadians who stretch the truth fall under one of five "Tall Tale" types:
- Paycheque Pretenders: would exaggerate their current or previous compensation (27 per cent).
- Eager Embellishers: would gloss over relatively inconsequential details such as the duration of a job, or gaps of time between jobs (15 per cent).
- Time-Will-Tells: would lie about skills they don't have, like speaking German or operating a forklift - gaps that would eventually become evident (17 per cent).
- Fact-Fudgers: would exaggerate current or previous job responsibilities (19 per cent).
- Phonies in Disguise: would falsify credentials key to the field or position (12 per cent).
To help employers make the best choices when hiring, ADP Canada now provides a complete set of customizable pre-employment screening solutions with ADP BackCheck. Proper screening offers employers a number of benefits, including:
- Fewer bad hires - Making informed decisions reduces management headaches and can save money. The cost of a bad hire ranges from one to three times an employee's annual salary.
- Reduced employee turnover - Hiring the right candidates means a lower employee turnover rate and less expense for the business.
- Reduced employee theft - Screening potential employees for criminal records or past workplace incidents can reduce costs associated with theft.
- A safer workplace - One in six violent crimes occurs in the workplace.* Protecting your employees from those with a history of violence, theft or other serious offences minimizes work disruption and improves morale.
More information is available at www.adp.ca/backcheck.
ADP Canada is Canada's leading provider of payroll, HR, and time and attendance management services. For more information, visit adp.ca.
The ADP BackCheck Poll was conducted from September 24 - 30, 2010 using an online survey through Research House. In total, 1,002 Canadians were surveyed. Results for the full sample are considered accurate +/- 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
*Criminal Victimization in the Workplace, Statistics Canada, February 2007.
