The threat of terrorism and organised crime is leading to large companies finding it necessary to screen all employees, a data quality company says.

Systematic screening is likely to be become standard as risk is just as likely to come from inside an organisation as outside, according to Datanomic.

The company says up until now screening has primarily been used in the finance and legal industries but large organisations outside these sectors are starting to follow.

Simon Pearson, director of client screening for Datanomic, says the process is likely to become standard practice in the next two or three years.

"Terrorists, those involved in organised crime and money launderers are planting employees, contractors and managers into organisations," he added.

According to a survey by pre-employment company Powerchex, 26 per cent of Britons had an embellishment or falsification on their job application.

The report also showed ten per cent of all curriculum vitaes do not state the truth about employment dates.