How did you feel when you heard news that during the past 36 months the Criminal Records Bureau successfully kept over 60,000 fearsome men and women away from our most vulnerable citizens? If you're like most people, that news came as a welcome relief. Interestingly, many also found the news unsettling.

It's unsettling to know that there are so many potentially dangerous individuals freely walking the streets of our country. But the thought of what those 60,000 individuals could have done to the thousands of vulnerable children and adults had the CRB not been doing its job is even more unsettling.

Like it or not, there's no denying that the disclosure system implemented by the CRB has helped countless individuals who, because of their age, their mental capacity or a physical disability, cannot help themselves.

It's true that conducting CRB checks often turns into a tedious, time-consuming process. And it's true that the process sometimes holds up the hiring process for many otherwise law-abiding citizens.

But no matter how much some employers might complain, those hassles have not stopped them from realizing that the benefits far outweigh any criticism.

Individuals in charge of ensuring the safety of travellers wouldn't think of hiring anyone without first finding out as much as they can about an individual's past. With incidents of terrorism on the rise, those responsible for hiring airport and railway personnel want to know what an individual has been doing during the last 5 years and where he or she has travelled. A gap in a person's history is a huge red flag and always warrants further investigation.

Also on the rise are incidences of fraud, embezzlement and other finance-related crimes. Anyone with a vacant position that involves handling money would be foolish to hire someone without first checking with that person's previous employer.

Those who rely heavily on government work are running CRB checks before taking on any new hires, too. They can't risk assigning an employee to work on a sensitive government project without first knowing all they can about that individual. Knowing they won't be denied an opportunity because of someone they've entrusted on their team is what's important.

Unlike schools, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centres that are required to conduct CRB checks, these and other organisations are doing so of their own free will. They've seen too many stories of how hiring the wrong employees can seriously jeopardize a company's future.

Maybe you've heard these stories too. And maybe you've heard how some organisations have lost the opportunity to put highly qualified individuals to work because of CRB check delays. Yes, these problems are disruptive, and some cost money in terms of missed opportunities and lost productivity.

Still, the benefits of conducting CRB checks outweigh any hassle. Maybe you already do these types of background checks. But maybe you'd rather have a tooth pulled than try and manage the status of each as it progresses along its course.

If that's what you think then you should know there's a powerful software package called Simply Personnel that can help. Simply Personnel HR software tracks your new hires even before they're hired. The human resources software includes a module that tracks all open positions within your organisation.

With it you can track every single individual that applies for every single position you have open. With it, you can create a record for each applicant and attach to it resumes, proof of identity and residency and more. And once you've selected the perfect candidate, you can transfer that record into the human resources Employee database.

Simply Personnel HR software helps streamline the hiring process, ensuring that you take the same steps for every new prospect, every time. It can even help keep track of CRB checks.

Whether you have just a few positions to fill or you're constantly involved in the hiring process, Simply Personnel HR software is a wise investment in your company's future.