A Business Week article a few weeks back profiled a few organizations making headway with workforce metrics and analytics, giving examples of how they’re getting better at tracking, analyzing and making workforce decisions with data. Though the article’s subtitle highlighted “valuation” of employees, aka assets, I was thrilled the mainstream publication brought this progress to such a broad audience. But reading the next issue of the magazine a week later left me disappointed. Reader reviews of the article in leaned toward the negative, seeing it as another way HR can mess things up or play big brother. The magazine had more bad than good replies published, and I like to think they’re fair…and balanced.
First, HR has good insight into talent management, and therefore needs to be among the leaders of the analytics charge. But, like Workforce Planning is owned by the business executives and managers charged with defining and executive corporate strategy, Workforce Analytics activity should also be done with “guidance” from the business – and couched as “owned” by the business. For instance, the what to analyze should often come from business problems, and the how can be supported or guided by places in the organizations where statistics live – finance, actuarial work, even OD.
Next, the findings need to be published in a way that minimizes any impression of HR sticking its nose into business matters. Classify it as business analysis, categorize it under Executive reporting, roll it into ongoing measurement of execution on strategy. Seek input from line management, other credible functions, link everything to strategic imperatives and productivity/revenue/expense improvements, and this will create both demand for more good work and partnership/championship from those the work supports. The more HR can fly under the radar and keep making friends, the sooner it won’t have to be that way.
Andy -
great post. this is HUGE issue for organizations that are ahead of the curve with solid analytics & planning programs. so many of them are trusted, valued members of their respective organizations and have been leaned on for analysis when recent reductions in force have taken place. so many in companies are looking at them as just “cutters” and not value add in all economic seasons. as a community we need to make sure all executives view workforce analytics and planning as a business process – something that is akin to financial planning, supply chain modeling, etc., and executed in all business environments