Pre-employment physical examinations have been a norm for a long time. Some workplaces make it mandatory, while others are more lenient. With time, especially since the pandemic, businesses and organizations have started incorporating these exams in their recruitment systems more religiously. Apart from making sure that no candidate is carrying any viruses, there are many other reasons why these exams are becoming increasingly popular.
Table of Contents
5 Reasons to Conduct Pre-Employment Physical Examinations
Although pre-employment physical examinations have been prevalent for years, many corporate bodies are still unfamiliar with their importance. For companies that have not adopted this policy yet, here are five reasons why they should:
1. Ensures That Candidates Are Fit for the Job
Even the best talent acquisition strategies miss an essential part of the recruitment process: physical and mental capabilities. Most jobs require a certain level of psychological and physical capacity to perform a given role. Whether the position is in the data analysis sector or the marketing team, employees must have certain health traits to be able to cope with the workload and responsibilities. A pre-employment physical examination will ensure that he or she is a well-rounded fit for the position and will have no trouble in the future. In addition, it minimizes the risk of unforeseen workplace injuries and occupational health issues, including work-induced stress, work-life imbalance, and other problems.
2. Guarantees Security of the Other Employees
Existing staff members are an active responsibility of the administration, management, and employers. Hence, before hiring any new candidate, they must make sure that the candidate is safe for the other workers. The new team member should be in good health, both physically and mentally. Research has repeatedly shown a negative impact of a toxic work environment on productivity of staff and workers. As a best practice, companies should not hire an employee that might disrupt the harmony and balance in the workplace. This is why a pre-employment physical exam is essential.
3. Filters Serious Candidates
The debate on centralized recruitment advantages and disadvantages has been prevalent for many years and an undeniable drawback of this recruitment policy is that only a single party is involved in hiring new talents. As a result, there are fewer filters to separate serious candidates for the general talent pool, especially for an important position in the company. Incorporating a pre-employment physical exam will further strengthen the recruitment process and ensure that the candidate is persistent, dedicated, and serious about the job position. If they are willing to visit a healthcare examiner, give samples, and undergo physical tests, it increases their credibility. Moreover, it gives centralized recruitment advantages and disadvantages candidates a clearer idea of the work culture in the company and how professional the administration is.
4. Ensures a Better Experience for Employees
Companies that establish their recruitment process with the help of staffing agencies in Pittsburg, typically know little about their candidates and applicants. Sometimes, an employee might have a history of physical or psychological issues that were not a part of their resume, nor were they mentioned throughout the recruitment process. For example, a particular candidate might be visually challenged and unable to work in less luminous cubicles. Rather, they need to sit and work next to a window or under powerful lighting. In a pre-employment physical exam, such individual needs can be brought to attention so that the corporation can ensure a better experience for them at the workplace. As a result, it helps improve employee retention and boosts productivity.
5. Helps Avoid or Fight Possible Lawsuits
Good organizations learn from their hiring mistakes, but the best organizations learn from others’ mistakes and avoid them. They educate themselves about the corporate history and avoid strategies that have not worked out for other businesses before them. This is especially important in the legal context. In fact, this is the reason most high-investment companies are in favor of pre-employment physical exams. They make sure that all health aspects of their new candidate are documented and saved for legal purposes. This data helps them avoid and fight possible lawsuits in the future as it can be used as evidence in the courtroom.
Conclusion
Pre-employment physical examinations are a rising trend in the corporate world. Apart from being an effective way to hire the right person for the company, it is also a great preventive measure to ensure workplace safety and avoid legal disputes in the future. Even though the pandemic initiated this trend, it is here to stay for the long run as companies and organizations learn its various short-term and long-term advantages.
