Introduction
Mencap, one of the UK's largest charities dedicated to supporting individuals with learning disabilities, transformed its hiring process by adopting the eBulkPlus digital screening platform from Matrix Security Watchdog. The change has significantly reduced the time-to-hire for new employees, providing a more efficient, secure, and manageable process for Mencap's HR team.
Requirements
Mencap’s mission requires a large workforce, with over 8,000 employees and more than 1,000 volunteers annually. These individuals operate in diverse settings, including care homes, supported living environments, housing association properties, and private residences. Given the sensitive nature of Mencap’s work, rigorous employee and volunteer screening is paramount to safeguarding the individuals under their care.
The charity faced a challenge: their existing screening process was slow, cumbersome, and unable to keep pace with their growing needs. Mencap's HR team needed a solution that could:
- Reduce the time taken to complete background checks.
- Ensure each screening was thorough and accurate.
- Handle the high volume of checks required annually.
Challenges
Before adopting eBulkPlus, Mencap relied on a paper-based screening process that was time-consuming and prone to errors. The lack of a centralised, digital platform meant that the HR team struggled to manage and track the progress of candidate screenings efficiently. This inefficiency not only delayed the hiring process but also increased the risk of potential errors in applications, which could further slowdown the onboarding process.
Solutions
Mencap partnered with Matrix Security Watchdog to overhaul their candidate screening process. The solution came in the form of eBulkPlus, a proprietary digital screening platform designed to streamline and simplify the entire process.
Key Features of eBulkPlus:
- Single Portal for Management: The platform has a centralised portal for initiating, managing, and tracking the screening of prospective employees across the organisation.
- User-Friendly Interface: The web-based platform was intuitive and easy to use, allowing for a smooth transition from the previous paper-based system.
- Enhanced Reporting: The platform’s reporting capabilities provided real-time insights into the progress of candidate screenings, including the ability to break down data by regions and other categories.
- Secure and Accredited: As an approved platform by the DBS and the Ministry of Justice, eBulkPlus ensured that all data remained secure throughout the process.
Ongoing Support:
Matrix Security Watchdog also provided dedicated support through a UK-based Customer Success Manager and Customer Service team, ensuring that Mencap's specific user and reporting needs were met during the initial setup and on an ongoing basis.
Results:
The introduction of eBulkPlus has significantly improved Mencap's hiring process. Key achievements include:
- Reduced Time-to-Hire: The new digital platform cut the time-to-hire from six weeks to just three, allowing Mencap to onboard new employees faster.
- Improved Efficiency: The digital nature of eBulkPlus eliminated the risk of errors associated with manual processes, ensuring smoother and more accurate screenings.
- Scalability: In the last 12 months, eBulkPlus successfully managed 9,000 applications, demonstrating its ability to handle Mencap’s high volume of screenings.
- Consistent Process: The platform introduced a consistent, easy-to-use system that allowed Mencap to screen employees at scale, cost-effectively.
Testimonial:
"Of the many platforms we use at Mencap, eBulkPlus is the simplest to use. The intuitive process makes it easy to manage our candidates so that when it goes to the DBS it’s very unlikely to get pushed back on us. The whole process is very efficient." - Philippa Gordon, Mencap’s HR Shared Services Manager
Conclusion
By implementing eBulkPlus, Mencap has not only streamlined its candidate screening process but also achieved significant reductions in time-to-hire. The transition to a digital platform has provided Mencap with greater control, transparency, and efficiency in managing its hiring process, ensuring that the charity can continue to focus on its mission of supporting individuals with learning disabilities across the UK.
