How Sterling Enhanced BioReference Health’s Background Screening Efficiency and Candidate Experience
Sterling: Empowering Safer Workplaces and Smarter Hiring Decisions
Sterling is a global leader in background screening and identity verification, trusted by over 50,000 clients in 240+ countries and territories. Conducting over 103 million background checks annually, Sterling serves approximately 60% of the Fortune 100 and over 50% of the Fortune 500.
At the core of Sterling’s services is a mission to foster trust and safety for organizations’ most essential resource: people. Sterling’s modern solutions reduce complexity in the hiring process and provide a seamless, efficient, and compliant experience. Through proprietary automation technology, tech-enabled compliance tools, and direct digital access to 2,400 U.S. jurisdictions, Sterling delivers unparalleled speed and accuracy.
Sterling’s approach is holistic, supporting HR, risk management, and compliance teams with customizable tools that enhance efficiency and protect brands. From integrating identity verification to maintaining compliance with global laws, Sterling equips organizations to hire with confidence, fostering diverse, inclusive, and safe workplaces.
Sterling is proud to be recognized as a winner in the 2024 HR Tech Awards. The following case study highlights Sterling’s impactful partnership with BioReference Health and its contribution to this prestigious recognition.
Transforming Talent Acquisition at BioReference Health
The Challenge: Streamlining Hiring for a Complex Workforce
BioReference Health, the largest full-service specialty laboratory in the U.S., processes approximately 19 million patient cases annually and operates with a workforce supported by a robust recruitment strategy. However, the organization faced several challenges in its talent acquisition process:
- Data Quality Issues: Missing or inaccurate candidate information delayed background checks and led to significant inefficiencies.
- High Administrative Burden: Manual follow-ups for missing data consumed valuable time for HR teams.
- Turnaround Times: Slow processing of background checks caused delays in hiring and impacted candidate experience.
The Solution: Optimizing Screening with Sterling
BioReference partnered with Sterling in 2015 to overhaul its background screening program and address inefficiencies. Through a collaborative process, Sterling’s client success team identified key pain points and implemented tailored solutions to transform the hiring workflow.
Key Strategies and Actions Taken:
- Improved Data Accuracy: Sterling introduced its Candidate Hub, enabling candidates to review and validate their information before initiating background checks. This reduced errors like missing birth years or nicknames instead of legal names.
- Streamlined Documentation: Sterling worked with BioReference to integrate required questions and documentation into the Candidate Hub, ensuring compliance with life sciences screening requirements.
- Automation and Best Practices: Sterling leveraged its proprietary automation technology and expertise to simplify workflows, reducing manual interventions and improving efficiency.
The Results: Measurable Impact on Hiring Efficiency
Four months after implementing Sterling’s optimized solutions, BioReference achieved significant improvements:
- Faster Fulfillment Times: The average order completion time decreased by one business day.
- Reduced Candidate Outreach: Manual outreach dropped from 50% to 33%, improving candidate experience.
- Fewer Incomplete Searches: Incomplete background checks decreased by 42%.
- Shorter Turnaround Times: Verification times for employment and education checks were reduced by half a day.
A Partnership Model for Success
BioReference’s Director of Talent Acquisition emphasized the importance of Sterling’s partnership approach:
“Changing our mindset from a transactional model to a true partnership enabled Sterling to understand our desired outcomes and provide recommendations to achieve them.”
By working closely with Sterling, BioReference optimized its background screening program, significantly improving efficiency and candidate satisfaction while reducing administrative burden.
Why Sterling?
Sterling’s solutions are designed to adapt to unique industry needs, providing a foundation of trust for businesses and their employees. Whether streamlining hiring processes, ensuring compliance, or protecting brand reputation, Sterling delivers innovative, data-driven solutions that empower organizations to succeed.
For more information on how Sterling can transform your hiring process, visit www.sterlingcheck.com.
Ben Eubanks is the Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory. He is an author, speaker, and researcher with a passion for telling stories and making complex topics easy to understand.
His latest book Talent Scarcity answers the question every business leader has asked in recent years: “Where are all the people, and how do we get them back to work?” It shares practical and strategic recruiting and retention ideas and case studies for every employer.
His first book, Artificial Intelligence for HR, is the world’s most-cited resource on AI applications for hiring, development, and employee experience.
Ben has more than 10 years of experience both as an HR/recruiting executive as well as a researcher on workplace topics. His work is practical, relevant, and valued by practitioners from F100 firms to SMB organizations across the globe.
He has spoken to tens of thousands of HR professionals across the globe and enjoys sharing about technology, talent practices, and more. His speaking credits include the SHRM Annual Conference, Seminarium International, PeopleMatters Dubai and India, and over 100 other notable events.