How to get to grips with people data in summary:
- While HR software can provide valuable workforce insights, understanding the context behind the numbers—such as the reasons for absenteeism—helps prevent misinterpretations that could lead to disengagement or other issues.
- People professionals should focus on the human aspect by engaging with employees directly to uncover underlying issues that data alone might not reveal. This approach fosters a more supportive and understanding work environment.
- Effective HR strategy requires a balance between data-driven insights and real-world context. Combining statistical data with qualitative feedback ensures more informed and holistic decision-making.
People professionals have long been the target of accusations that they’re not sufficiently tech-savvy and behind their peers in other professions when it comes to leveraging data.
But, while there are undoubtedly a few technophobes still out there, the HR profession does seem to have woken up to the important role people data and analytics can play in the business.
For example, CIPD research shows there’s increasing recognition of the value of people-related data, and a growing number of practitioners with the skills to analyse it… even if they’re not always using these skills in their day to day job.
Of course, not all people professionals are in a role where they can use HR analytics to a sophisticated degree. In a smaller company, for example, the numbers can’t be used to drive business decisions in the same way as in a larger organisation.
There’s no doubt, however, that thanks to the rise in data-driven decision making and – of course – powerful HRIS platforms, people analytics is now core HR competency going forward. It’s also a key skill for HR professionals who want to future-proof their career.
So what are your options if you feel you would like to develop your skills in evaluating and analysing people data?
1. Professional training
If there is budget available to invest in formal training, the CIPD runs a popular Data and Analytics course specifically for people professionals. The programme, designed for HR professionals at all levels, provides hands-on learning experiences throughout a two-week period. If only limited funding is available, the CIPD also have a library of free resources for members, including fact sheets, webinars and case studies.
2. Online resources
A Google search will unearth a whole variety of MOOCs and on-line learning modules covering this field, some of which are free or low cost. There’s everything: from the fundamentals of HR analytics on www.udemy.com, to high level virtual programmes run by the likes of Harvard and MIT.
It’s important to note however that many of the top results you’ll likely get will be from overseas providers. There are of course UK-based data analytics courses, too – such as this one with London Business Training and Consulting. But remember to look at the courses carefully to assess the quality of the training and materials, and to make sure they will be delivering the kind of learning you need.
3. Experiment with your existing HR system
With HR software systems now widely available with powerful people data analytics modules, many practitioners are sitting on data that they’re simply not using. So, set aside time to look at the data that can be generated by your HR system and ask yourself: is it revealing potentially worrying trends in absenteeism or staff turnover in certain areas of the business? Or could it help you get a better picture of how current employee skill sets match with future corporate ambitions?
Your system may not have all the bells and whistles (and indeed that may not be relevant for the size of the business) – but the data that you have will be telling you some kind of story, however simple, that could help inform your thinking about any future initiatives.
4. Learn from colleagues
Marketing, IT and finance colleagues are your friends and mentors if you want to learn more about people data and what it can tell you. Sales and marketing teams, for example, may have been using quite sophisticated data analytics techniques for some time to help them understand more about customer needs and behaviour.
Ask if you can spend some time with them, understanding how they extract and analyse data to see if there is learning that is transferable to your HR context. Some of your IT colleagues may also have data analytics skills and expertise that they could share – or at the very least demystify for you.
Developing deeper relationships with these colleagues – possibly even collaborating with them on projects – will not only help you learn, it will lead to development of a stronger internal network too.
5. Build your background knowledge
As people analytics has grown in importance, so has the pool of resources and experience that is out there to help you learn. The CIPD/Workday report People Analytics: Driving business performance with people data is a good start if you want to get up to speed with the subject.
Good old Amazon has a couple of interesting and accessible-looking books – Data-Driven HR and the Power of People (just search for HR analytics) – and there is an increasing number of articles and case studies cropping up in the professional press.
It may not seem the most fascinating of topics, but if you can avoid the temptation to glaze over and get some background reading done, it will be an important first step to improving your understanding.
As the CIPD report concludes: “The HR profession is at an important point in its history; it can either take the lead in using people data and being evidence-based, or it can cede responsibility to other functions and act as a user of people information.” Which would you rather be?
Erika Lucas
Writer and Communications Consultant
Erika Lucas is a writer and communications consultant with a special interest in HR, leadership, management and personal development. Her career has spanned journalism and PR, with previous roles in regional press, BBC Radio, PR consultancy, charities and business schools.
