Voice stress analysis helps determine a person's honesty

Employing new staff is often challenging. How does one know that the person being interviewed is telling the truth? It is particularly important to hire honest people, when there are so many instances being reported of employee dishonesty.

Safeguard Investigations, the investigations arm of Safeguard Security, uses Voice Stress Analysis (VSA) to assist in confirming the honesty of a company's prospective employees or excluding from possible suspicion employees who might have been under suspicion when investigating thefts or fraud within a company.

Voice Stress Analysis detects signs of stress when the person being tested answers various questions requiring yes or no answers. It is able to detect stress as the voice passes through voice folds in the throat when the person being tested answers a question  by saying Yes or No.

"VSA allows for a relaxed atmosphere since the person being questioned is not hooked up to special sensors and pressure cuffs. It is reliable as it detects involuntary changes in vocal muscle movements, which cannot be controlled by the person being questioned," Safeguard Investigations manager Steve Jennings explained.

"Our trained and qualified staff begin by putting at ease the person being asked questions. At first they ask simple questions, the answers to which are already known, before asking questions that might evoke an honest or dishonest response. They also take note of the person's body language," Mr Jennings said.

"It is a good means of verifying whether or not the person answering questions is telling the truth or being dishonest," he added.

"We are hired by companies to test prospective employees, particularly where the job they are being interviewed for requires a high degree of honesty. Our own staff are tested when they are employed, since honesty is essential in the security sector.

"Some employers ask us to carry out the tests on existing employees working in areas that require particular honesty, such as where money or financial transactions are involved.

"We also use VSA to exclude from our enquiry suspects in an investigation." he said.

Safeguard Investigations also conducts background checks on prospective employees.

"These days running background checks for potential employees is essential for any organisation.  These checks are carried out to confirm whether information supplied on, for example, academic qualifications or past experience is correct," he said.

When it comes to VSA testing Mr Jennings said there was no need for those able to give honest answers to the questions posed to them to feel anxious. The test would confirm their honesty. If the testing was part of an investigation to establish those responsible for fraud or theft, it would exclude those who have nothing to hide from suspicion.

"The testing does not necessarily confirm a person's guilt when used during an investigation but it exonerates those who answer honestly and provides a good indication of who needs to be investigated more thoroughly," he said.