Employment Application and Background Check Critique:
Solarworld
Solarworld is a German-based company that has taken root in America as one of the foremost providers of solar panels. For a little over the past decade they have existed as one of the swiftest rising companies in the industry and have pushed forward in leaps and bounds to become one of the most influential businesses within the field of photovoltaic’s. Their employment policies are sound for the most part though there have been periods during which they have experienced a high rate of turnover in personnel. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that as they have experienced such turnover they must fill needed positions within the company and therefore have lowered their standards considerably. While their business continues to grow, Solarworld’s quality of employee has began to fluctuate.
It is fair to state that there are a few issues with the application process and the background checks that are performed onsite. For one the only real checks that are done are those which indicate if the applicant is a former felon and of course if they are legally allowed to work in the United States. These checks often come back just fine, though as of late the strict adherence to the policy that the company holds about not hiring ex-convicts has been loosened. While many employees do not care the reputation of the company is well known throughout the industry and is judged accordingly by not only its product and service, but by the employees it hires.
The application process does not generally go through Solarworld. Instead applicants are encouraged to submit their information to Randstadt, a temp agency that is utilized by Solarworld and kept in-house so as to regulate their own employees and better communicate with Solarworld personnel. In this manner Solarworld is able to operate with a set percentage of temp employees that are typically locked into a nine month contract during which they have the chance to prove that they are worth keeping on full-time. Those who are not kept after the nine month period are dismissed from service but are encouraged to reapply in six months’ time.
So strict were the expectations and demands of the job at times that many, and there were not many to begin with, applicants who had reached the end of their term of service did not consider returning. The application process was grueling enough at one point that it was considered the hardest part of the job. Solarworld touts itself as being engaged in employing the brightest and most promising among society, when in truth it often seeks only to fill empty positions until a new applicant can be found that is capable of fulfilling the tasks desired.
In the past, when Kelly Services was the onsite temp agency, the application process was
rather vigorous as applicants were run through several competency tests, required to show proof
of at least a high school education, and were subjected to a thorough criminal background check.
While a high school education is still preferred it is not a prerequisite any longer, and the
criminal background check does not exclude an applicant whose record features felonies any
longer. In truth felonies cannot legally exclude an applicant, but in the past Solarworld did not
typically hire ex-convicts. With its numbers depleted over the past few years however the
company has been forced to lower its standards a bit.
The application process is not the same for every employee. Those who are either
recruited or elevated to a superior position by dint of their expertise and education are not given
the same application as lower level employees. Engineers, Human Resources, and various other
higher-paying positions that still require higher standards are given applications to fill out that
are not available to the average worker until they are accepted full time by the company. The
waivers within each application however are quite clear that any and all ideas that are brought to the company’s attention during work hours and within the company building are and will remain company intellectual property. Any violation of this becomes grounds for immediate dismissal.
Aside from the company-oriented questions and requirements the application process is
fairly typical of most jobs. It asks for past employers, references, and contact information that is
typically given out at most places of employment, as well as the level of education and any
academic achievements that might have been earned. It is a fairly well-rounded application and
does not tend to deviate from what might be expected of any company. The only change I would
make to the process at Solarworld would be to eliminate the temp agency altogether and create a trial period for Solarworld to accept their employees as full time.
Temp agencies do serve a very useful purpose in placing employees within regular paying jobs. However, the relationship between Kelly Services first and Randstadt most recently are simply too close for either company to be objective in the hiring and managing of employees. While expedience is served by Solarworld keeping an office designated to Randstadt within their building, it does not create the necessary separation from one company to the other, and thereby allows the application process to become a bit redundant as well as possibly corruptible. While neither company is technically allowed to do “favors” for one applicant or another, rumors do abound and can damage the much-needed integrity of the application process.
It is already understood that temp employees do not have as many benefits as regular employees. What I would seek to change is the inconvenience of having to go through a middle man, namely the temp agency, in order to gain any and all information that is needed. In truth the temp agency operates as its own entity while in Solarworld, dealing with its own matters aside from those of its employees that Solarworld utilizes. The temp agency is not entirely needed in this company or within the application process and could be eliminated without much difficulty.
The checks that are conducted for this company at one time were quite strict and managed to eliminate many qualified and even over-qualified applicants as possible hires. This was due largely to the fact that in the beginning recruitment was quite simple as those who were the best qualified for the job were plentiful and not hard to find. As time went on however those who continued to apply were either those who bore the same skills that were no longer needed or were simply too qualified to be considered. Background checks for those whose skill sets were too qualified often led recruiters to reject such applicants based largely on the fact that they would require far more than the company was willing to pay. While this is not entirely ethical it was seen as practical by the company at the time and led to the denial of many applicants that might have allowed Solarworld to continue its operation in a much more professional manner.
Criminal background checks are standard for this company still, though the standards by
which they hire have become somewhat lax compared to what they once were. In its beginning phases Solarworld would not hire ex-convicts, though they would give them the consideration as put forth by law. While many businesses will not hire ex-cons those with trade secrets and intellectual property to consider are even less willing. As of late though thanks to their continual rollover of personnel Solarworld has been forced to adjust their stance upon whom they hire.
At point and time the background checks for this particular company, and the temp
agencies that worked with them, were very strict and did not deviate from what was decided as
crucial for any candidate to sign on. A pre-interview was standard with the temp agency, and upon being considered for employment at Solarworld another pre-interview was scheduled to inform potential employees about the company, what they did, and the benefits that could be expected if they were accepted. Very few pertinent policies were covered during said pre-interviews, and just as few were covered during first interviews.
Communication is one of the stronger points lauded about the company, but several
sources found on the internet, opinions and rumors mostly, claim that communication between management and employees is severely lacking. One could not even be guaranteed a callback in the event that they were not even considered for a second interview as it has been stated by several anonymous bloggers online. Though the amount and quality of feedback is almost always subjective, it is worth paying attention to both pros and cons concerning the methods used in the company’s application methods. There will always be dissent of some sort at most places of employment. What really matters is whether the company in question is capable and willing to listen to the feedback from their employees and adjust accordingly.
As far as checking the rest of an individual’s background the checks have always been
cursory at best. Whether it is references or neighbors or past employers, Solarworld conducts a very glancing check upon many applicants at lower levels. In truth they are seeking to gain more employees to cover all shifts and insure that each section of the business runs smoothly and without much downtime. Being a company that runs 24 hours a day with only a small amount of down time per year, Solarworld cannot afford to keep their machines down for very long. In an effort to keep this from happening they have often resorted to keeping a large quantity of employees on board while disregarding the quality of those they hire.
The company’s policy on drug checks is quite simple to follow, but when read about in
the extended policy leaves a bit of confusion. Like most companies they discourage the use of
any illicit drugs but caution against using them or coming to work under the influence.
Solarworld does state that it will perform random drug tests upon those who are suspected to be
under the influence, but in their policies state that this is not grounds for immediate dismissal.
Instead they progress employees through several different stages by which the employee is
issued a verbal warning, then a written warning, then counseling, and then, if the problem is not
solved, a final warning. If matters are not controlled after this then there grounds for immediate
dismissal have been reached and the employee will be released.
The main strength that enhances Solarworld’s application is that they do manage to bring
in people based upon the benefits they offer after so long a period of being with the company. While the probationary period has changed slightly along with the difference in pay between day and night shift, the promise of medical, dental, and other various benefits still manages to entice people to sign on. While there are many dissenters, mostly those found on online blogs and review boards of the company, Solarworld remains a strong presence in the field of photovoltaic’s as it manages to draw and keep enough people who are willing to undergo the changes that the company is still experiencing each year as it continues to grow.
A very large weakness, and one that is seen in the review boards as well, is that there is
little consistency in how the application process works. There are differences between those
who must sign on through temp agencies and those who are brought on full-time without a
probation period, and there are differences in pay between those who work nights and those who
work days. There is little real equality in the application process as it seems to deviate between
one applicant and the next. This can often lead to a general feeling of discontent and resentment
between employees and create an unstable and even hostile work environment.
There are many more strengths and weaknesses to be listed within the company, but they have much more to do with those who are already employed rather than those who are seeking employment. Getting into Solarworld as an employee was once a harrowing process and did not generally favor anyone save those who had decided to embark upon a specific course of education and/or career. Their promise of educational benefits alone drew many people to apply for employment until it the particulars for such “free” education were discovered. In order to obtain any free education from Solarworld an employee is required to enroll in courses that are directly linked or have something to do with the industry in which they work (Company Benefits, 2016). If the employee does not follow the specific coursework that the company approves then there is no educational benefit available.
While it makes sense in a way there is little spoken of this in the initial interviews and as a result many people think of free education should they be hired on. The other benefits are only available after a probationary period as it should be, and are subject to change by law now and again. In truth the only things to change about the application process at Solarworld would be the full disclosure of the pros and cons that come with signing on to any company. Full disclosure would be preferred so that the applicant is allowed to make a more educated decision as to whether or not they would choose 12-hour days with the payoff of a long weekend, or if they could do better elsewhere.
The company has had its ups and downs through the years and part of that has to do with the application and background checks they have continually changed to favor their needs. In order to run efficiently and without being forced to lower their standards Solarworld would be wiser to adapt to the needs of their people in order to keep more employees rather than having to insure that they can keep the revolving door open to admit more and more individuals that are willing to work just hard enough for a paycheck but not hard enough to insure the future of the company. Too many standards have been lowered at this point without any compensation put forth to keep the employee roster filled with capable and educated employees.
References
Company Benefits (2016). Career Center. Solarworld. Retrieved from
http://www.solarworld-usa.com/careers#policy
