We wrote it before in one of our blogs: the organisation of the future is working more and more data drives. If you don't use modern technology, you will be overtaken very hard by the competition and you will sideline yourself. Now, the average HR professional is a human being from home, and that makes sense. But make no mistake. Even in that warm workforce, data is now an important part of the menu. The right data can optimise your HR processes and help you make strategic decisions. So step over that threshold and embrace HR analytics. It can make your daily work so much easier!
By working in a data-driven way, all kinds of data are collected, analyzed and interpreted in such a way that, as an HR professional, you get more insight into the state of affairs and future developments. By the way, the required data does not always have to come directly from a personnel system.
It is precisely by combining data from many other sources and fields that a complete picture is created and you may come up with new ideas.
By no longer relying solely on our intuition or assumptions, but by substantiating (or refuting) them with facts and statistics, you can provide more informed strategic advice, better support management and develop strategic policies. Examples include predicting staff turnover, identifying employee performance, labour market developments or measuring the effectiveness of training programs.
“Did we always do it wrong?” I hear you thinking a little apprehensive. No, it's not like that. We used to have little more than our gut feeling and years of experience to work with. And even after the rise of automation, it took quite a long time before systems were able to communicate with each other. You've just always rowed with the straps you had. But, admit it: it was sometimes a hell of a lot of hard work to get ahead. It took a lot of time before you were able to calculate the exact absenteeism rate, get an overview of staff turnover, the results of your employee satisfaction survey had processed or knew which medium could provide the best applicants.
By making more use of the wonders of technology, you can determine priorities, make connections and therefore make better strategic decisions so much faster and easier.
Bee HR analytics you apply the results of these analyses specifically to individual employees. If, for example, the analysis shows that people from a certain region generally value a good pension plan more than on study facilities, you can take this into account when conducting the job interview.
In addition to HR analytics also deliver HR metrics and HR insights provide data that can make the average HR professional's life a lot easier and more interesting.
For example, use it when:
Nowadays, almost every business process is supported by an automation system, so there is a lot of data available. The choice is huge. It is precisely because of these almost infinite possibilities that it is important to first determine exactly what you would like to know, what are you really looking for? And what does a report need to include and what should it look like if it is to be useful for your goal?
By first listing this carefully, you will avoid getting lost in the data maze and ultimately not finding what you are actually looking for.
We already said: HR processes are also becoming more and more digitised. This means that more and more data is also fairly easy to provide here. Within this field, the following are: metric-reports most popular:
Do you want to go further than just mapping numbers, and also explore and solve the problem? Then it's smart to be at the level HR insights and analytics to sit down. In that case, draw from various sources. Be sure to 'shop' in a multidisciplinary way. For example, check Finance or in the workplace to see what data is recorded there, and link that data to the systems linked to HR (such as those used for personnel and payroll administration, absenteeism registration or a LMS).
Think as broadly as possible and feel free to schedule a sparring session with colleagues from other departments. Will a new system be purchased? In particular, make sure that the different components can communicate well with each other.
And oh yes, the world does not consist of your own organisation alone. In particular, include industry data and external studies when developing your evaluation or advice.
Maybe your organisation isn't quite ready for data-driven work yet, or you also have some questions of your own. Feel free to ask us! It's no coincidence that finding smart online solutions is our core business and we love sharing our knowledge. Experience the power of Pluvo for yourself! Click here for a demo or call +31 (20) 560 5001.
As an educational expert specialising in online learning, I have been writing blogs for Pluvo for 5 years. My focus is on powerful learning solutions for organisations. Universal Design for Learning and inclusive learning are my passion; I believe that education should be accessible and fun for everyone.
I've been combining my 35 years of HR experience with copywriting for over 15 years. And even then, I learn new things over and over again. That's what makes writing blogs for Pluvo so incredibly interesting!
