THOROFARE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 13, 2000--Will a potential employee be honest in their new position? All you may have to do is ask them.
A questionnaire given to 20,000 randomly selected job applicants revealed that 22.6% of the applicants were "high risk" as defined by their admissions of prior dishonest acts or wrongdoings and/or their attitudes concerning honesty.
The Applicant Review, a pre-employment screening test offered by Checkpoint Systems (NYSE:CKP), in conjunction with CHC Forecast Inc., is based on years of psychological, statistical and behavioral expertise and provides valuable information to management involved in employee hiring decisions.
The Applicant Review helps management screen job applicants and assign people to jobs that best match their personality and integrity. Applicants were asked questions such as whether they consider themselves to be honest, if they've ever stolen cash or merchandise, and whether they'd turn in a fellow employee who has stolen.
Job applicants taking the Applicant Review made the following admissions:
- 21.8% stated they had frequently associated with fellow employees who admitted they were stealing merchandise from the company
- 12.7%% stated they are not an honest person and might steal or cheat
- 28.7% stated they could be tempted to steal from an employer
- 17.6% stated they might help friends steal from their company
- 18.3% admitted they had stolen money within the past three years
- 14.5% admitted they had stolen merchandise within the past three years
- 24.4% stated they would possibly use illegal drugs/marijuana in the future
- 4.1% admitted to previously selling marijuana or other illegal drugs
The 4,525 "high risk" job applicants admitted to stealing a total of $174,570 worth of merchandise and money. Common estimates indicate that the actual dollar amount for stolen items is approximately 10 times the admitted amount. Based on this, the "high risk" job applicants potentially stole items totaling more than $1 million, almost $400 per person.
In addition to the Applicant Review, Checkpoint Systems offers Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) systems and employee training in order to encourage a comprehensive approach to loss prevention in the retail environment. The overall focus of the Applicant Review and Checkpoint's loss prevention solutions is to create a work environment that promotes personal integrity and honesty.
Checkpoint Systems Inc. is a $750 million multinational company that manufactures and markets labeling systems designed to improve efficiency, reduce costs and provide value-added label solutions for customers across many markets and industries. Checkpoint is a leading provider of digital RF EAS and RFID systems, RF source tagging, barcode labeling systems, hand-held labeling systems, and retail merchandising systems. Applications include automatic identification, retail security, and pricing and promotional labels. Operating in 27 countries, Checkpoint has a global network of subsidiaries and provides professional customer service and technical support around the world. Checkpoint Systems Inc.'s Web site is located at www.checkpointsystems.com.
