People analytics (also commonly known as HR analytics or workforce analytics) is the practice of collecting and transforming HR data and organizational data into actionable insights that improve the way you do business. This information is presented in easily understandable graphs, charts, visualizations, questions, and answers using data extracted from the HR tools you’re already using. While many people assume that people analytics exists strictly to improve HR functions, the insights uncovered helps companies drive overall organizational success and meet their business goals. 

People analytics has been an HR buzzword for nearly a decade, but up until recently has only been available to large enterprises with tens of thousands of employees, and the budget to match.

Today, that’s no longer the case. People analytics solutions that were previously sized and priced to meet the needs of large enterprises have been modified to fit mid-size organizations who are also looking for deeper insights to grow and improve their workforce.

While many organizations have digitized their transactional HR functions with tools like Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), digital engagement surveys, and your Human Resources Information System (HRIS), the benefits of digital HR have not yet been felt on an organization level. 

Taking the first steps into data-driven HR can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to. We’ve broken down a simple checklist to prepare for your analytics journey.  

Despite 74% of organizations saying HR technology is important to them, only 26% of Deloitte’s 2019 Global Human Capital Trends respondents say that they feel they are effectively using technology and analytics to improve their teams.

How to get started with people analytics

Determine if your organization is truly ready

A people analytics solution can have significant impact on organizational success, but a tool is only as impactful as the people using it. If your organization isn’t fully prepared to make changes in how things are done, you might not be ready to invest in an analytics platform quite yet. 

People analytics, and the workforce planning that comes with it, is less about tools, technology, statistics, artificial intelligence, and complicated data science than we think. When it comes to the practical application of analytics, it is far more about change management. 

“People analytics solutions that were previously sized and priced to meet the needs of large enterprises have been modified to fit mid-size organizations who are also looking for deeper insights to grow and improve their workforce.”

Find your data champions

Convincing your company’s leadership team to undertake a people analytics project isn’t always easy. Building a data-driven culture requires a full organizational shift and change-management plan. 

Identifying data champions within your organization can help you persist in making that shift. Are there managers in other departments who have invested in analytics and technology? Does someone on your board or C-suite keep lamenting that your workforce is not as efficient as it could be? Do you have a data-focused finance leader who can help you calculate the value of investing in an analytics solution? Finding fellow data-champions internally can help you build your business case, and navigate the organizational change required to fully put people analytics to use. 

Define your questions

Without strategic, relevant questions, people analytics is a means to no clear end. While you’ll still be able to draw insight into your organization without clearly defined questions, you won’t see the same level of impact and organizational change. To begin, take a look at your big-picture business goals. Determine how HR and your workforce fits into those goals, then work back to the types of questions you’d like to answer to move the needle on that goal. 

For example, if your organization needs to cut workforce costs, you’ll first want to identify where you are losing money. Are you overspending on overtime? Are your total rewards actually working to retain employees, or can you cut back on unappreciated rewards while still maintaining a happy workforce? 

“Building a data-driven culture requires a full organizational shift and change-management plan. Identifying data champions within your organization can help you persist in making that shift.”

Be prepared to look deeper in your data. People analytics will enable you to go beyond typical HR questions to understand the “why”. Why are you overspending on your overtime budget? Did you lose a key employee or department, and the overtime is to compensate for this? Why are your total rewards not aligned with the actual needs and wants of your employees? 

Select your people analytics solution

Once you’ve identified your key questions, it’s time to select the right people analytics solution for your company. If you have an in-house HR analyst who can translate your results, you may be able to work with a solution that is a bit less user-friendly. If your analytics solution will be used by your HR department, C-suite, and managers, you may want to consider a solution that offers easy visualizations and interpretations of data. 

Consider the scope of your solution. Are you prepared to undertake a data warehouse project, or are you looking for a more plug-and-play solution that can connect your HRIS data to your analytics provider using an API? 

Be prepared to clean up your data 

Data cleanliness is a common barrier to organizations who feel unprepared to begin a people analytics project. While any analytics project would be most successful with spotlessly clean data, this isn’t a realistic goal for most companies. Begin with the data you have already, and take a look at the analyses you’ve got there. Is it directionally correct? Is 80% accuracy sufficient to make the right business decisions? 

Many organizations have seen the impact that people analytics can have on even one business challenge. Once the ROI of people analytics is felt throughout the organization, many companies will in turn find the time or budget to clean up their data to build on the organizational benefits they’ve already experienced.