Aligning HR data with the company’s strategic challenges

Strategic issues for companies: what role does HR data play?

The HR data plays a decisive role in predicting the challenges of the company’s strategy. It allows you to anticipate changes in order to make appropriate decisions. To optimize the management of the data collected, it is advisable to pay attention to the points detailed below.

Aligning HR data with the company’s strategic challenges

LHR data analysis plays an active role in the strategic decisions taken for the future of the company: selection, processing and use of the data collected. The HR function consists in unifying data to maximize the volume of information in order to optimize the organization and internal mobility within the company.

The balance between the use of technology and the development of human skills

Data processing provides information on HR strategy, generating a global vision of skills to detect the evolution of internal mobility and encourage training. To address other issues, such as absenteeism or promotions, only Data should be taken into account. The commitment of employees is essential. The HR function must therefore find the balance between the trends resulting from data analysis and employee involvement.

The commitment of employees

L’Involving employees in the data process requires awareness and active participation from the beginning of the company’s strategy project. By familiarizing employees with the data driven and by soliciting their collaboration in setting up the indicators, they become actors in the process. Communicating the benefits of data-driven processes can reassure employees that the actions proposed to them are worthwhile.

Analysis of HR data with respect for the privacy of employees

The HR managers are confronted with risks related to the handling of confidential data (HR teams, employees). The role of HR managers is to protect the data collection and processing system. This includes the anonymization of information to respect the privacy of employees and the prevention of spyware intrusions. It is about protecting human and technological assets by ensuring the security of confidential information.

Should HR data be put at the center of the organization?

Once the importance of data has been identified, it is necessary to determine the place of data in the organization. The reliability and relevance of the data must include the environmental context to optimize the organization. The information will be linked to a specific professional situation and put into perspective with all departments (accounting, marketing, finance…). A global vision optimizes data management and interpretation.

HR Analytics: what are the benefits for the company?

Big Data technologies allow you to manage a lot of data. The HR function consists of understanding the organization, anticipating situations and defining appropriate strategies. HR analytics uses various descriptive or explanatory statistical analysis methods. They are used to describe the current situation and address various issues such as salary differences or HR organization (recruitment, internal mobility). The information related to data processing concerns different areas of HR, which are detailed below.

Resource planning

A detailed analysis of data over several years of activity reflects the evolution of the workforce in an employment sector or region. It allows for improved projection and resource planning. Employee performance indicators are used to anticipate productivity targets by forecasting the resources needed by business line. The HR function must identify useful data to answer a specific problem (prediction of future skills to be mobilized, for example).

Recruitment of Employees

Performance acquisition software simplifies employee recruitment. They allow you to centralize candidate profiles and measure their performance. This increases the quality of recruitment and reduces operating costs. By combining performance indicators and employee skills data, an internal staffing map emerges. It helps to achieve precise results to anticipate recruitment needs.

Talent management

With the help of calibration tools, analytics can balance the talent management process. A clear view of the situation enables employees’ performance to be compared with their development potential. Thus, companies can plan coaching for employees who wish to develop their potential. Internal mobility tools allow you to visualize the internal positions to be filled again and to measure the differences between the profile and the skills required to perform a new function.

Retention of personnel

HR Analytics identifies the factors that influence employee engagement by conducting regular surveys. These operations help identify the needs of employees, offer them opportunities for skills development or a salary increase to prevent them from leaving the company. Big Data is useful for analyzing the results of surveys conducted by targeted questions. The analysis of data is simplified and the monitoring of the general climate of the company allows a quick implementation of the necessary actions.

Also read in our “Tools to use to manage your HR Strategy” file:

• Aligning HR data with the company’s strategic challenges
• HR experts: making the most of performance indicators with your data
• Predictive analysis tools for HR
• Strategic Workforce Planning: what are the challenges for organisations?
• People analytics: data for recruitment
• Workforce analytics for career management
• How to discover and develop your employees’ engagement factors thanks to HR Data?
• Attrition, detection of high potentials, HR onboarding: concrete cases of HR data use
• A unique HRIS software to boost the potential of your HR data
• RGPD and HR data: good practices