How can HR data be used to attract and retain staff?

In an ever-changing world, companies are constantly looking for new ways to attract and retain talent. Today, HR data is emerging as an essential asset: data has become an essential element, transforming the way we manage our human resources… Discover how to make the most of HR data to anticipate your attraction and retention actions to ensure the sustainability of your organization.

The advent of digital technology is gradually breaking down the usual codes of work and human resources management. 85% of the jobs forecast for 2030 do not yet exist, according to a study by Institute for the Future and Dell technologies.

The world is evolving, and changing habits are driving companies to digitize throughHR data analysis. In this context, human resources managers are on the front line, as they are responsible for regulate these high departure rates while optimizing recruitment processes and integration of new employees.

In 2026, the challenge is twofold: the job market is stabilizing, but this stabilization masks a growing silent disengagement. According to the Lead Opinion 2026 National Observatory, eNPS is down to -7, and satisfaction with the employer is down to 69% (-5 points). Employees are not suddenly disengaging, but are becoming more attentive to the actual conditions of their engagement.

These issues directly reflect the major challenges facing HR departments today, and are part of a global approach to data-driven HR management.

The different ways of using HR data

Before delving into the heart of HR data, let’s take a look at the different ways it can be used.

There are 4 types of data exploitation:

• descriptive: provide a snapshot of a situation ;
• analytical: to understand the causes ;
• predictive: create predictions from hypotheses ;
• prescriptive: proposing concrete recommendations for a given situation.

Leveraging HR data can help you better meet your challenges in terms of attracting and retaining talent, as well as employee engagement. Indeed, a better understanding of the origin of tensions within the company and their impact on the most stable employees is essential. This reduces the attrition rate and ensures that measures are taken in good time for “at-risk” employees.

The last 2 types of analysis are those that will interest us most in this article in terms of HR innovations.

The paradox of HR management in 2026:

HR teams have never had so much data at their fingertips: HRIS, ATS, engagement surveys, payroll tools. And yet, when it comes to obtaining a precise figure to arbitrate on a subject, the right data is rarely immediately available. Many indicators are produced, but few are actually used to make decisions. That’s the challenge of HR data quality: to have reliable, structured data available at the right time.

Measuring employee engagement with HR data

Six parameters can be used to quantify employee commitment within a company. The innovation lies in the way the data is collected and, above all, used.

1. Employee Net Promoter Score, which answers the question, “How likely are you to recommend this company as a great place to work?”
2. Voluntary employee turnover, which focuses on employee-initiated departures.
3. Customer satisfaction ratings (CSAT) gathered through formal customer satisfaction surveys, or more informally through conversations or feedback.
4. Employee productivity
5. Employee absenteeism rate
6. Employee satisfaction score

A variety of tools are used to measure employee commitment : commitment barometers, surveys, regular HR interviews and annual social surveys, such as the Great Place To Work survey…

Scott Judd, Head of People Analytics at Facebook, has co-authored an insightful article on employee surveys. “Employee Surveys Are Still One of the Best Ways to Measure Engagement”, he argues that employee surveys remain a “high-yield” practice for HR.

Today, instead of spacing out the frequency of surveys, many companies are turning to continuous surveys. This method involves gathering employee feedback by asking a single question on a regular basis, known as a “lightning survey”. Most flash surveys work by asking one question a day. It takes a minute to answer, so your employees don’t feel overwhelmed by the task.

The aim is to gather feedback and respect employees’ space and time at all times. No need to bother employees with long questionnaires.

Some companies prefer to launch questionnaires just after “HR highlights” such as salary reviews, annual interviews… which often have a direct impact on employee engagement. This increases the number of responses to questionnaires.

In an ever-changing professional world, employee commitment has become a major issue for companies. Find out in our dedicated article, 3 innovations to implement in your company.

Boosting employee attractiveness and commitment through data science

The world of big data is profoundly transforming the job market and the various existing professions. In human resources,data analysis to confirm past trends has existed for several years. What is less so, but is beginning to emerge, is theuse of data to build HR strategies.

Data analysis employee engagement measurement systems is a first key to entry. Results are consolidated in real time and accessible to managers and HR. Engagement questionnaires measure the feelings of teams and transform them into concrete actions that sustainably improve QWL.

Applicable in a wide variety of sectors,predictive analysis of human resources data can be used to :

Improving recruitment

A profile adapted to the needs of a position is more committed and loyal, and has a direct impact on the turnover rate. For example, it can also analyze CVs, recognize how often a person changes jobs and calculate the likelihood of them changing again. Visit data science can also understand the types of career paths candidates are likely to follow by analyzing career trajectories across millions of different data points to spot trends. To go further on this subject, our article on HR predictive analysis tools details the available solutions and their concrete use cases.

Optimizing performance

Optimize organizational performance and, at the same time, anticipate demotivation or failure factors.
Anticipate foreseeable departures (e.g. retirement, maternity, etc.) and also statistical ones (e.g. demographic data or trends by business sector, location, etc.).

Ensure the company’s development

Ensure the company’s development with better decision-making: contribute to making the company more attractive and boost employee satisfaction.

Assessing skill levels

Evaluate employees’ skill levels and anticipate skills development: an employee who has greater confidence in his or her personal capital and who is developing skills is more likely to stay with the company.

Anticipating moments of demotivation

By referring to their productivity and objectives, anticipate moments of employee demotivation. Our article on preparing a turnover analysis gives you a concrete methodological framework for structuring this approach.

HR data analysis can also be used to assess the skills available within the company, to enhance internal mobility. Visit HR data is based on job-skills matching, which compares the profiles of the company’s employees with vacant or future positions.

All these areas of analysis make it easier to identify the issues that motivate or demotivate employees. The real value of these studies lies above all in the discussion they provoke and the concrete actions they lead to.

Employees are more attached to a company that allows them to evolve and offers them change. It also contributes to employee satisfaction and well-being in the workplace, creating a positive dynamic.

To anticipate tomorrow’s recruitment challenges, it’s essential to develop sound adaptation strategies. In our dedicated article, you will find the
keys to adapting as a recruiter and staying
and remain effective in a constantly changing environment.

What are the challenges faced by HR data in improving employee engagement?

The use of quantitative data (age, performance rating, absenteeism rate) is fairly straightforward and objective. The difficulty lies in interpreting qualitative data, such as annual appraisals.

These data can be rich in information, but they are also subjective and can vary from one individual to another.

HR teams therefore need to be trained in the use of these tools, and this is what is at stake in theacculturation to HR data that we detail in our dedicated article.

Using HR data to drive engagement and anticipate departures raises important ethical and regulatory issues. In 2026, 27% of employees have already shared personal data in unapproved AI tools (Sigma-RH 2026).

Before any deployment, make sure you comply with GDPR principles: data minimization, transparency towards employees, anonymization of collective analyses and involvement of the DPO.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the HR data represents a considerable opportunity for companies wishing to remain competitive in an ever-changing world. By exploring the different ways in whichHR data can be exploited, we have been able to gain an insight into the ways in which these data can be used. HR innovations can improve talent management, employee commitment and job satisfaction.

The adoption of innovative methods opens up new prospects for human resources. These approaches not only anticipate the company’s talent needs, but also create an environment where employees feel listened to, valued and encouraged to evolve.

However, it is important to recognize that HR data is not without its challenges… Interpreting qualitative data requires appropriate, personalized support. At SQORUS, our multi-disciplinary teams in HR Council & Data are at your service to help you make the most of your assets. HR data. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a use case that you would like to test within the framework of the LAB SQORUS.

FAQ – HR data, attracting and retaining talent