A warm welcome for every new employee. Organizations strive for this, and that feeling starts with the administrative handling during the onboarding process.
In the Netherlands, there were over 10 million employed persons in 2023 (source CBS) and there were over 40,000 job vacancies in the fourth quarter of 2023 (source CBS) Employee turnover in the Netherlands was 12 percent in 2022. (source AWVN) This means a high volume of onboarding and offboarding tasks for an HR department. Second-year HRM students from the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University researched the benefits of digital ID verification for employee onboarding. For this study, they interviewed organizations already using an ID app, including KPN, Secure Logistics, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
How does the ID verification app work?
With the ID app, employees can easily perform the necessary identity verification remotely at a time of their choosing. Their own phone scans the identity document and reads the NFC chip. The employee then checks the data. Next, the ID app verifies the employee and the document using a facial scan. Once approved, other internal processes, such as requesting physical or digital access credentials, can be initiated immediately.
Strict legislation for ID verification
To work in the Netherlands, everyone needs a valid ID. The Identification Requirement Act for Employers mandates that employers verify the identity of all employees when they join an organization. This applies to both salaried employees and external staff. For nationalities outside the EEA (European Economic Area), the Right to Work (RTW) check applies. Guiding everyone through the correct verification process face-to-face takes up a lot of time for the HR department. This can be done much more easily online. Online ID verification is sorted in five steps. This process naturally complies with legal requirements (GDPR) and information security standards (ISO 27001). Furthermore, the digital process allows for the specification of retention periods, ensuring that data is automatically deleted upon, for example, termination of employment or after the data has been processed in the HR system.
Benefits of digital ID verification for both employer and employee
Using digital ID verification offers benefits for both the employer and the employee. Research highlights five key advantages of digital ID verification:
- A frequently mentioned benefit is time savingsWith online ID verification, HR staff no longer need to schedule appointments, and employees don't have to travel to the office. Beyond saving time, this also reduces costs. Employees are given control and can complete their ID verification from any location at any time. This promotes flexibility for the employee and ensures a fast, accurate onboarding process for the employer.
- The ID app can be fully customized to perfectly align with your organization's needs.
- The online ID verification fully complies with security and privacy legislation. This makes the ID app a unique product. No more ID copies exchanged via email that linger where they shouldn't. Furthermore, data can be updated or deleted with a single click in the event of name changes or when an employee leaves the company. It also promotes the careful management of a digital personnel file with higher data quality.
- The process is smooth and user-friendly. Using a phone and a QR code, the mandatory ID verification is completed in just five simple steps. This reinforces a warm welcome for new employees. Moreover, it prevents human error during the identification and verification of incoming staff.
- The ID app is digitally inclusive according to WCAG guidelines. By integrating a text-to-speech function, the ID verification app is highly accessible.
Future developments for the ID app
Due to its success, the desire for future expansion of the ID app frequently comes up in conversations with clients. Research conducted by Erasmus University provided several concrete recommendations that BPI will implement via a roadmap. For instance, the ID app will be expanded with integrations to other onboarding apps to streamline the process for new hires. There has also been a expressed desire to use this app during the pre-boarding phase. BPI Services will consult with each client regarding their existing and future needs.
Digital ID verification for employee onboarding is fast, secure, and compliant with laws and guidelines. The research findings confirm these benefits, which can also unburden your HR department. Read more on our website or contact our colleague Keyshawn Bottelier directly.
