How Sailormen Runs Efficient Background Checks For Its Popeyes Restaurants

Sailormen, Inc., a franchisee of Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits restaurants, operates over 150 locations throughout Florida and Georgia. The company employs over 2,000 team members, including restaurant managers, assistant managers, and shift leaders.

In the restaurant industry, safety is paramount, and Sailormen places great importance on providing a safe and secure environment for all the workers at its Popeyes restaurants. These individuals are not only responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of their staff and the premises, but also handle financial matters and have access to sensitive information. As a result, it's essential that the company conducts precise and thorough background checks for all newly hired employees.

Before using Checkr, Sailormen relied on multiple background check services to gather comprehensive information about potential team members at their Popeyes locations prior to their joining. Additionally, they used paper-based documentation and required team members to fax these documents to their main office.

Sailormen, which processes about 1,000 candidates annually, sought two main qualities in a new background check vendor: simplicity and speed. It was essential for the background check process to be fast and efficient. Helen Quinones, People Director at Sailormen Inc., found out about Checkr through their Applicant Tracking System (ATS) provider, Workstream.

Using Checkr, Sailormen was able to transition from a lengthy paper-based process to a fully digital format. “We’re a tiny but mighty team, so we really needed a background check vendor that could help us move candidates through the process quickly, without creating obstacles for ourselves or the candidate,” Helen explained, “We saw immediate time savings with Checkr. All we need to do is enter the candidate's email address, and Checkr sends the background check to the candidate through a secure portal.”

Helen and her team particularly value the integration between Checkr and Workstream. Candidates can apply using the Workstream application, and once they accept the offer, Sailormen initiates the background check through Checkr. ​​Sailormen conducts thorough criminal background checks with Checkr, including state, federal, and global watchlist searches, which are usually completed within 24 hours. 

Checkr’s speed and accuracy with background checks means that Sailormen doesn’t have to slow down their onboarding process and wait for reports to come back. “Checkr and Workstream work so seamlessly together that we have virtually zero candidates drop off due to delays in reports,” Helen said.  

Helen also appreciates Checkr’s adjudication suite. Any time a returned report contains information that a candidate might not be right for their organization, Helen’s team can access that report in Checkr and send off the pre-adverse action notice to the candidate. They can also request further information through the candidate stories feature in Checkr, where candidates can provide further context around their record. “In the quick-service restaurant industry we want to provide opportunities for everyone, regardless of their background,” said Helen, “We aim to create an inclusive environment while also ensuring the safety of our team members, and Checkr helps us do that.”

The talent market is extremely competitive in the restaurant industry, so time to hire is an important metric for Helen and her team. The faster reports are returned, the more quickly they can bring new hires on onboard. “Oftentimes we're moving so quickly to hire candidates. Working in fast food, you need that person yesterday and having Checkr and Workstream working together, we know we can get people onboard quickly,” said Helen.

“We do roughly 600 background checks each year. Checkr has saved us nearly $10 per check, which has been a huge win for us,” said Helen, “The last thing we want to do is reduce the scope of our background checks. Checkr allows us to meet our needs by efficiently conducting thorough background checks while staying within our budget.” Checkr helps Sailormen make sure that their hiring process is fast and accurate. Above all, Sailormen’s 200+ Popeyes restaurants remain a safe place to work.