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Dec 28, 2022
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What is people analytics? A guide to getting started

People analytics is the use of data and analytics to understand and improve the effectiveness of an organization's human capital. It involves the collection, analysis,...

peopleIX Team
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People analytics is the use of data and analytics to understand and improve the effectiveness of an organization's human capital. This includes collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data about people in the company, including their skills, competencies, behaviors, and motivations. People analytics helps companies make data-based decisions about their employees, such as how to hire and retain top talent, how to develop and engage employees, and how they can optimize organizational structures and processes.

People analytics is the use of data and analytics to improve the way companies make decisions about their workforce. This includes collecting, analyzing and interpreting data about employee behavior, hiring, and performance, and using these findings as a basis for HR strategies, processes and measures.

One of the key benefits of people analytics is that companies can turn raw data into meaningful insights that help them better understand their workforce and make informed, data-driven decisions. This can be particularly useful in areas such as talent management, performance evaluation, and personnel planning.

One of the main reasons why companies are turning to HR analytics is the growing recognition that their employees are an important source of competitive advantage. By using data and analytics to better understand and manage their employees, companies can not only improve their decision-making, but also increase engagement, productivity, and employee retention.

There are several key areas where people analytics can be particularly useful:

Talent management: By analyzing data on employee performance, turnover, and career development, companies can identify patterns and trends that they can incorporate into their talent management strategies. For example, high-performing employees who are eligible for promotion can be identified, or the factors that are most likely to lead to employee retention or turnover can be identified.
Performance evaluation: People analytics can help companies to evaluate the performance of their employees more precisely and objectively. By analyzing data on factors such as productivity, attendance, and work quality, companies get a clearer picture of which employees are achieving their goals and which may be having problems. From this, plans for performance improvement can be derived, and managers can support their teams in a more targeted and effective way.
Succession planning: By analyzing data on employees' skills, experiences, and career aspirations, companies can determine which employees are most likely to be eligible for promotion or a new role within the company. This ensures that the company has a pipeline of talent ready to take on key positions as soon as they become available.

To start analyzing people, consider the following steps:

Identify the business problems you want to solve: The first step in using people analytics is to identify the specific business problems you want to solve. These can include issues such as high employee turnover, low employee engagement, or inadequate succession planning. By focusing on specific issues, you can ensure that your people analytics efforts are focused on gaining actionable insights that can help solve those problems.
Collect and clean data: The next step is to collect and clean the data you need to solve your identified business problems. This may include data from HR systems, performance management systems, and other sources. It's important to ensure that the data is accurate, consistent, and complete as it forms the basis for your analysis.
Analyze and interpret the data: Once you have your data, you can use a variety of analytical tools and techniques to gain insights from it. This may include descriptive analysis to identify patterns and trends in the data, or predictive analysis to predict future results. It is important to involve subject matter experts in this process to ensure that the insights gained are accurate and meaningful.


Communicate the findings and implement them: The last step is to share the knowledge gained with relevant stakeholders and to develop and implement measures on this basis. This may include changes to personnel policies, the introduction of new training programs, or the adjustment of the organizational structure. It's important to track the impact of these measures to ensure that they effectively address the business issues you've identified.
By following these steps, you can start using people analytics and use data and analytics to improve the effectiveness of human capital in your organization.

In summary, people analytics is now a must for every company. By using data and analytics to better understand employees, companies can improve their decision-making, increase employee engagement, and drive business growth. Whether you're just getting started with people analytics or want to take your HR strategy to the next level, there are a number of tools and resources to help you get started.

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