Checkmate

Most teams don’t think about audits…until they’re in one. By then, it’s too late. In hiring, every check, credential, and approval needs to tell a clear, traceable story. But when records live across emails, spreadsheets, and scattered systems? Audit readiness goes out the window. That’s when the risks pile up: → Missing or outdated files → Gaps in consent records → Screening data you can’t verify → Delays that stall hiring or trigger penalties PwC found that only 7% of organisations feel compliance ready. But the teams that stay ready (not scramble to get ready) see genuine advantages: → Faster audit response times → Less legal and data risk → Stronger trust with regulators and partners → Clear proof of process when it counts The best solution is to use automated systems that log every step, from checks to approvals, in real-time. Not because an audit is on the calendar. Because being audit-ready should be built in. So, is your hiring process audit-ready?

Not all metrics matter. And honestly? Some hiring metrics are just for show. In our latest Coffee Break episode, Dave Johnson sits down with Tom Mackintosh, Director at Talent International and MD at Solve, to unpack how smart leaders actually use data that moves the needle. You’ll learn: → Why some data gets ignored entirely → How to align metrics with decision-makers → The secret behind TA teams that win executive support If you’ve ever fought for buy-in from the C-suite or tried to turn hiring data into action, then this one is for you. 🎥 Watch the full conversation on our Coffee Break Series: https://lnkd.in/eMhvr2TB

Every new market has its own hiring rules, and candidate data is at the centre of them all. That data is now heavily regulated under laws like: → GDPR in Europe → FCRA in the U.S. → Expanding regulations across APAC Many teams still treat candidate data like internal HR docs. But when hiring crosses borders, data often does too. Sometimes, without proper consent. One misstep can mean audits, investigations, or costly fines. According to PwC’s 2025 Global Compliance Study: Over half of compliance leaders rank data privacy as a top-five risk. Yet most say their systems aren’t ready. Teams are already adapting: → Centralising screening and verification tools → Automating consent and audit trails → Choosing partners with ISO 27001 and SOC 2 credentials The future of hiring is global, but it should be safe too. Are your systems ready?

It’s one of the most common compliance gaps we see: HR manages the checks... But the responsibility sits with the directors. And too often, directors stay removed from the process, without realising they’re the ones ultimately liable if something slips through. Have a watch below: Dave, our Commercial Director, is breaking down what directors tend to miss, the real-world implications, and what to do about it.

Here are Helen's top 5 hiring workflows that you should have on autopilot by now. (Swipe through below) Your team shouldn’t be running these manually anymore. With Checkmate, they run quietly in the background They’ve saved our customers hours and eliminated risk before it lands on desks. 💬 Want to see how to set these up? Come join our Checkmate Training! → 30 minutes every Wednesday, → It’s free for all new (and old) clients to attend. → Drop Helen G. a message to get signed up Also keep an eye out as she'll be posting some short video walkthroughs of these automations soon.

In HR tech, there are two ways to win: Build it or buy it. Right now the market’s in a full consolidation wave, With over 128 deals announced so far this year. Instead of building new features from scratch, established vendors are buying mature, proven platforms to plug into their ecosystems. It’s a faster, safer way to deliver end-to-end solutions. Especially as compliance, analytics, and automation all converge into “must-have” features rather than “differentiators”. Payscale’s acquisition of Datapeople is a prime example. Payscale is expanding from compensation intelligence into hiring by acquiring Datapeople's AI recruiting analytics and job description tools. Datapeople's data is built on over 100M+ jobs across 80 countries, making it a highly valuable asset. They've cracked helping companies post fair, compliant roles. Which is a growing priority in North America, where salary-transparency fines can reach $300K. Now, Payscale will be powered by these insights. The next phase of HR tech isn’t about building faster. It’s about integrating smarter.

What if the secret to making real impact in Talent Acquisition had nothing to do with your job title? Welcome to the first episode of The Coffee Break Series! Host Dave Johnson sits down with Jessica Trumble - founder and CEO of We Are Charlotte - to uncover how true influence is built from the middle, not the top. They explore the unspoken skill that defines successful talent leaders: the ability to lead, persuade, and drive change without formal authority. Whether you’re early in your TA/HR career or trying to build trust with execs, this conversation delivers the real playbook for winning influence where it counts. Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/e4ANBay7

Can ChatGPT really screen candidates? Let’s separate hype from reality: → Generative AI tools can speed up resume screening, draft job posts, even reply to FAQs. Useful? Yes. But far from foolproof. → A 2025 study of 10,000 job–candidate matches found general LLMs were 77% accurate. Domain-specific models performed better at 85% — with lower bias. But bias still shows up. Bloomberg found resumes with Asian-sounding female names ranked in the top 17.2% — while those linked to Black men ranked just 7.6%. Equal treatment should land around 12.5% each. The issue? AI doesn’t understand context. It can hallucinate. And it can amplify existing bias — exposing hiring teams to serious risk. Where it works best: → As an assistant, not the decision-maker → With well-designed prompts and regular bias checks → When humans stay in control The bottom line: AI can support better hiring. But letting it choose who gets hired? That’s a risky bet. Would you trust ChatGPT to screen your next hire?

GDPR turned 7 this year. And a lot of businesses are still getting the basics wrong. Since 2018, regulators have handed out over €4.5B in fines. And it’s not just Big Tech in the firing line HR and hiring teams are under pressure too. The most common slip-ups: → Consent still isn’t clear. Candidate data gets collected without proper opt-in — or any opt-in at all. → Retention rules get ignored. CVs and background checks saved “just in case,” long past legal limits. → Security isn’t there. Spreadsheets full of personal info still sitting in inboxes. → Cross-border transfers go unchecked. Global tools used without reviewing data handling or compliance risk. Here’s the thing: GDPR isn’t a box you tick once. It’s ongoing. It needs regular reviews, tools that adapt, and policies that keep up with the law. And it’s not just about fines. Poor compliance breaks trust And trust is everything when you’re hiring. What’s the one GDPR rule your team struggles with most?

Automation shouldn’t remove people.  It should remove all the repetitive tasks holding your people back. At Checkmate, we've seen it firsthand: → Woolworths New Zealand They use Checkmate to process thousands of right-to-work and police checks every week. They finally got time back to focus on candidates. Saving up to 24 hours per application. → Trade Me Moved fragmented checks (references, right-to-work) into one easy flow.  Candidates could finally stop repeating the same details over and over. → YMCA South Australia (The Y) Transformed reference checking from a phone-chasing nightmare into a fully digital, safeguarding-first process. Now, 90% of references are done online with full audit trails. These are the kinds of automations that don't make hiring colder,  They make things easier on the candidate and more consistent. Want to "humanely" automate your hiring? Start here: 1. Automate your processes - not your conversations 2. Automate status updates - avoid hiring silence 3. Automate personalisation - provide a personalised candidate experience Would love to hear: how are you using automation in hiring while still keeping it personal? Follow our Customer Success Manager Helen G. to learn all the automations and smart hiring tricks you should be using and how do it all and more in Checkmate.