HR data - measuring or analysing?
So you work in HR? Chances are your team holds a good amount of data about your organisation’s employees. But what do you do with it? Do you even know what you’ve got? Are you using it?
Let’s start with the data itself. Data (or metrics) is just a measure, its a reflection of information at a given point in time. In HR data, this can be anything from someone’s gender to a telephone number, or a salary amount to the reason for being off work. If we’re lucky, our HR team holds up to date and accurate information. And, if super fortunate, all in one place!!
According to a recent HRD Connect survey 41.5% of survey respondents said their HR function stored its data across numerous HR systems which are not connected. So, if you don’t have a single source of up to date HR data, then you’re not alone!
Where is your HR team on the “Lego” scale of HR data?
Just about holding some data with labels (“Sorted”) or able to generate data stories for senior management?
Moving on from just having your data in one place and accurate, what do you do with it then? Research from SD Worx found that 70% of respondents found it “difficult” or “very difficult” to provide data to business leaders. in other words, the majority of HR teams find it challenging to move on from “Sorted” on the Lego scale above to being able to deliver something useful to senior management.
When we work in HR every day, we understand the difference between voluntary and involuntary turnover, we know that having “stress” as your top sickness reason is not good, and we get it that line managers might need training or support if half of all queries coming in to the team are about how to manage! But, we need to remember that those reading our data need us to demonstrate the “So What”. In other words, to tell the story the data gives us.
Do you have that capacity yourself or in your team?
Are you making the best use of your HR data?
Does your system allow for bespoke reporting?
Do you genuinely understand data analytics as applied to HR data?
If you need support with any of the above, get in touch for a free, no obligation, chat.
If you don’t need support with the above and feel your HR analytics is working, how about measuring that against an ISO standard? Contact me for more information on the new ISO 34014, specifically for HR metrics and reporting.
