Joy Henry, Executive Vice President, Americas
This year brings good news for staffing HR and compliance professionals — the staffing industry is expected to rebound from its 2024 decline and see a 2.1% revenue increase in 2025, according to finance lender eCapital.
The future looks just as bright. Staffing is expected to rebound from its decline last year, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects long-term total employment to grow by 4%, adding 6.7M jobs from 2023 to 2033.
First Advantage has identified several impactful trends in the staffing industry from our partnership with customers working in staffing firms and agencies globally. Staffing industry HR and compliance professionals seeking to expand their North American hiring this year can gain a competitive edge by understanding and applying these trends.
Leading trends show how technology integration is transforming the staffing process. For example, HR leaders are using AI, automation, and remote interviewing tools to improve the applicant experience and retention.
Let’s spotlight ways staffing professionals can leverage background checks to hit the heights of success in 2025.
Background Check Trend #1: Strong Growth in Specific Sectors
According to the BLS report as cited above, the healthcare and social assistance sector is among the leading verticals predicted to experience the fastest growth for 2023 through to 2033.
Additionally, the rise of the gig economy and freelance talent continues to impact traditional staffing models.
First Advantage is proud to support staffing companies sourcing talent from a wide variety of different industries, including healthcare, the gig economy, and many others.
We make it easy for you to screen for your end customers using our staffing agency background checks. We offer many types of background checks including criminal history, drug screening, fingerprinting, and industry-specific sanctions and licensing verifications.
Background Check Trend #2: Emerging Tech Is Streamlining Recruitment
Today’s staffing companies must stay agile and quickly run background checks to keep candidates engaged and stay competitive in hiring. But what specifically can technology do to propel your staffing business?
New technology is a key component to any business’s operations. Advancements in technology, including AI and automation, are now speeding up recruitment processes and enabling staffing companies to hire at high volume.
First Advantage offers your staffing firm innovative screening solutions to deliver seamless screening for your clients. Our automated solutions can provide your company with fast background checks you can be confident in, reducing your time-to-hire while empowering you to source top talent at a global scale.
Background Check Trend #3: Changing Worker Demographics and Global Compliance
Shifts in workforce demographics, including an aging population and increased diversity, are more strongly influencing staffing strategies. Naturally, this ongoing trend can make it difficult for HR staffing professionals to meet recruitment targets.
Compounding this challenge, staffing companies new to hiring abroad may find it hard to navigate the global talent pool and its many local and national regulations.
Help your organization to place candidates anywhere in the world by partnering with a trusted screening provider such as First Advantage. We provide customers with global background checks customized to staffing firms and their clients. We can also provide you with consultative information on compliance, sharing best practice information you can use to help manage your global hiring regulatory requirements.
Background Check Trend #4: Macro-Economic Uncertainty and Privacy Standards
In 2025, staffing agencies will continue to navigate global economic uncertainties. Therefore, when hiring globally, it’s crucial to stay adaptive to sector-specific growth, labor laws, and data protection and privacy standards. For example, these include the EU’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
Staffing compliance professionals must also follow regulatory mandates, another complex requirement when hiring. For example, employers must address concerns about hiring bias when searching for candidate information on social media.
How can you help steer clear of this unnecessary regulatory risk to your business?
First Advantage provides customers with a social media service designed for the staffing industry. Our social media screening process helps employers identify additional risk areas for safety, toxicity in the workplace, and other harmful online behaviors.
Background Check Trend #5: Remote Interviewing and Identity Fraud Mitigation
Remote interviewing tools are helping employers to streamline the hiring process. These technologies are a great way to secure remote worker placements with consistent background checks.
However, employers beware: application fraud, a sophisticated form of identity fraud, is on the rise in remote workplaces everywhere. According to the online Mis-Hire Cost Calculator, the cost of a bad hire has now risen to 5-27x the amount of annual compensation.
During a remote interview, it may be impossible to tell if your candidate is really who they claim to be. What steps can your staffing business take to help avoid potential fraud?
Help to increase your clients’ confidence in screening remote candidates by leveraging an identity fraud mitigation solution. First Advantage’s technology identifies issues and discrepancies in collected identity data which may have been accidentally submitted, and also alerts your organization by flagging potential identity fraud attempts.
We’re Proud to Support Your Staffing Needs
First Advantage can empower your global staffing firm to meet your clients’ expectations with both speed and confidence.
Secure a competitive edge for your staffing business by reducing the turnaround times of your background checks. Help your organization attract global talent using First Advantage’s background checks.
Start the conversation; contact us today to learn more.
