As the World Economic Forum kicks off this week in Davos, Switzerland, one of the most talked about threats to business outside of the US and the Canada is fraud. In many countries, organizational and individual fraud is a daily part of business life. From the $5.00 payoff to a bureaucrat to do their job all the way to institutional cyber crime ring participation, fraud and criminal behavior are still far to common and in many places culturally accepted. As workers move to the US, some bring the criminal culture with them.
Many employers like to look at the socioeconomic background of the job candidate, and if she or he come from a family appearing higher on that scale, they deduce that it is the result of success through hard, honest work. Unfortunately the reality is that fraud and crime in other countries pays off. Fraud and corruption lead to a better life and those who are “good at business” in many places are also good at the business of cutting corners and “making things happen” in their favor. In order to get ahead, one often engages in the “business as usual” and finds that no one in the immediate community is even phased by the acceptance of or participation in fraud and corruption.These are behaviors and norms that are hard to unlearn simply through the act of moving.
Once someone immigrates to the US, they often feel that their activities back at home are far away and, if illegal or unethical, will remain hidden. They often count on the fact that many employers will not take the time to check. This is a good way to save time and simultaneously increasing your risk and liability.
When hiring employees from outside the US, the need for a complete background check, although more expensive and requiring more time, is absolutely essential. For more information about our employee screening services, please call us at 888-677-9700.
