Today, we're thrilled to announce the addition of Work Report into our ever-growing network of data sources. This enables our Employment Verification solution to tap into data directly from Payroll, HRIS, and Benefits platforms for up to 80% of UK employees. 

Direct data access will further enhance our 'Employment Timeline' by enabling us to instantly verify employment dates and other employment attributes. Complementing our existing solution, direct payroll and HR data helps us provide our customers with a holistic and reliable overview of candidates' employment history – while also reducing candidate friction. Candidates no longer need to remember log ins details or payroll providers, they simply have to consent to Konfir pulling the data.

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An industry first in the UK…

For the first time in the UK, Employers and Screening Providers will enjoy the power of Payroll and HR APIs when using Konfir; a development that significantly distances the industry from its traditional, slower methods of employment verification. This is a capability that markets like the U.S. have long enjoyed.

But we're not matching global standards; we're setting new ones. Employment References in the UK have historically offered minimal information, usually just confirming employment and employment dates. Now, Konfir is elevating the industry by instantly sourcing this essential data using a combination of data sources which will continue to increase coverage and verification success.

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Why is this a big deal?

As part of this release, we're sunsetting our existing Payroll Credential Access solution (requiring candidates to log in) in favour of direct Payroll and HR APIs. While potentially appropriate in some geographies and industries, Payroll Credential Access doesn’t work very well for the UK Screening market. At best, its a cumbersome candidate experience given the need to select and login to a Payroll system used by an employer the candidate has left or is leaving. We recently surveyed 545 candidates that didn’t use our Credential Access Solution and found three main issues:

• 45% of candidates couldn’t find their Payroll Provider
• 32% of candidates didn’t know their Payroll Provider

Combined with login and access restrictions, expectedly, this resulted in candidate drop-off, inbound queries, and incomplete verifications. 

All of these issues go away with direct Payroll and HR APIs.

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Benefits for Candidates:

- Simplicity: Employer name is automatically matched to the correct data provider, removing the need for candidates to find or remember their payroll provider 

- Instant Information: Provide consent, and employment history is instantly accessed. No login, no complex user experience

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Benefits for Background Screeners:

- Operational Efficiency: More granular data means less time spent reviewing candidate information 

- Enhanced Reliability: Higher coverage and candidate conversion resulting in more completed verifications 

- Compliant: Information is shared with the agreement of Employers via secure APIs only