From Yellow Pages to Digital ID: the Future of Screening
In this edition of Confessions of a Screening Expert, Phil Bel, Candidate Services Team Leader at Rullion, shares how background screening services have evolved from paper packs to digital-first Background Screening. He explains why human support still matters in DBS checks, Right to Work checks, and employment reference checks - and why innovations like rapid verification could transform the future of candidate screening.
From Yellow Pages packs to digital-first
Step into the office of a background screener in 2014 and you’d see a very different world. Printers churning non-stop, fax machines whirring, and stacks of paper files piled high on desks.
“When I started, the screening packs were as thick as the Yellow Pages,” recalls Phil Bell, Candidate Services Team Leader at Rullion. “Printers were constantly running, scanners were working overtime, and every single page had to be put in the right order for approval. Then you’d have to scan the whole lot again, convert it into a PDF, and email it across. And still keep the hard copies in case of audit.”
It was slow and manual labour. Fast forward a decade, and most pre-employment screening journeys are now completed digitally through secure portals. But as Phil suggests, just because you can automate, doesn’t always mean you should.
Why not everything should be automated
Automation has streamlined many tasks in background screening services, but over-reliance can backfire. For tasks like Right to Work checks and DBS checks, automation speeds things up. But when it comes to employment reference checks, removing people from the process often slows things down instead of speeding them up.
“Sometimes a phone call is better than another email,” Phil says. “If I call a referee, I can explain what we need, answer their questions, and build a connection. A single conversation can cut through weeks of delay.”
The lesson? Automation should support, not replace, human judgement. Referees and candidates value clarity and reassurance, and that’s not something a chaser email can deliver.
The promise of rapid employment verification
One that stands out for him is rapid employment verification: a tool that connects directly to HMRC, payroll, and open banking records (with candidate consent).
“Instead of spending weeks chasing down referees, the system can instantly verify where someone has worked and for how long,” Phil explains. “That cuts out admin, reduces errors, and gets candidates cleared much quicker.”
The benefits are clear:
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Faster onboarding for clients in time-critical projects.
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Less frustration for candidates who just want to start work.
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Efficiency gains for screening teams, freeing up time to focus on problem cases.
But Phil is also realistic about the challenges. Consent will always be critical, candidates must feel comfortable with how their data is being used, and clients need to be ready to embrace the technology. Until both sides are confident, adoption will remain limited.
Still, as improvements are rolled out, Phil believes rapid verification has the potential to transform how employment reference checks are managed, cutting down on delays and eliminating much of the manual chasing that slows the process today. This echoes what we’ve seen first-hand on major projects like Hinkley Point C where speed and compliance must go hand in hand. Read more in How Rullion Delivers Screening Success at Hinkley Point C.
Smarter, not colder: the role of AI
Phil also sees a clear role for artificial intelligence in pre-employment screening. For him, it’s not about replacing people but about making processes more reliable. At present, portals depend on candidates entering every detail correctly - but even something as small as a mistyped referee email address can cause the whole process to grind to a halt.
This is where AI could add real value. Smart systems could flag incorrect information at the point of entry, ask intelligent follow-up questions, or even validate data against public sources. By catching errors early, the process becomes smoother for candidates, referees, and clients alike.
Phil sums it up: “AI won’t replace advisors, but it can help us eliminate mistakes earlier and get people cleared faster. It’s about making the process smarter, not colder.”
From science fiction to reality: digital ID
When asked whether screening could ever become instantaneous, with each person carrying a unique identifier, like a cryptocurrency token - Phil admits it once felt like science fiction.
Yet within a short amount of time of this interview, the UK Government announced its plans for digital ID cards, bringing the concept closer to reality. Across Europe, adoption is already well underway: Estonia’s e-ID has been in place for nearly 20 years, saving citizens an average of five working days each year, while Denmark’s MitID is now used by over 90% of the population. The EU has also committed to launching a Digital Identity Wallet by 2026, giving all citizens a secure, standardised way to prove who they are.
He reflects: “Every worker already has a National Insurance number, and government gateways already give access to some records. So, a seamless digital ID isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds.”
These global examples show that the debate is no longer about whether digital ID will arrive, but how it will be implemented and trusted. Linking records into a universal digital identity system could drastically reduce the time and effort involved in screening. Done well, it would give candidates more control over their information and employers greater confidence in its accuracy.
Action points for employers
Phil’s reflections don’t just highlight how far the industry has come, they also point to practical steps organisations can take now:
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Audit your processes: Identify where automation helps and where it hinders. For tasks like Right to Work checks and DBS checks, automation saves time; for references, human contact may still be best.
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Prepare for rapid verification: Start conversations with candidates about consent and data-sharing, so you’re ready to adopt new tools quickly.
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Invest in data quality: Choose systems that help catch errors early and reduce reliance on manual corrections.
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Keep the human touch: Balance is key. A process that relies entirely on automation risks losing candidates, but too much manual intervention creates delays. Getting this mix right is what keeps projects moving.
Why balance wins
Phil’s perspective is clear: the future of screening isn’t about choosing between people and technology but combining both. Tools like rapid employment verification and AI will undoubtedly shape the industry, but they work best when paired with real advisors who understand the needs of candidates and clients.
“At the end of the day, candidates just want to get cleared quickly so they can start work. Clients want the same: people on site as soon as possible,” he says. “By blending technology with genuine human support, we can deliver speed, compliance, and a better experience for everyone.”
It’s this combination, smart automation with real human guidance, that defines Rullion’s approach to background screening services. It means clients in critical infrastructure sectors like nuclear, transport and rail, and utilities can get the best of both worlds: the speed of automation with the reassurance of people who care.
Rullion’s proven background screening services combine smart technology with dedicated advisors to deliver fast, compliant results across critical infrastructure sectors like nuclear, transport and rail, and utilities.
