People Analytics: How do we get started?

As an I/O psychologist working in the People Analytics space, I have had the pleasure of working with clients of all shapes and sizes. From wine producers in Napa Valley (great wine and thanks for the tour!) to multi-national energy power-houses from Texas; companies who truly value their employees and believe in the promise of people analytics. Yet, despite their size, revenue or technological “know-how”, some of the most common questions I often received were “Where do we begin?”, “Who do I need to hire?”, “How do I effectively deliver the insights my leadership is asking for?”.

Companies have come to realize the value proposition of advancing their people analytics expertise and not a second too late. The dynamic nature of today’s workforce means attracting and hiring skilled talent is difficult enough but retaining their expertise and institutional knowledge is even harder. Analytical insights into candidate sourcing pools, brand awareness and validation of selection batteries helps to attract the talent and increase retention of quality hires. Employee attitudinal measures (i.e. engagement, commitment, etc.) drive organizational adjustments as employee priorities, values, habits and sentiments shift. Last but certainly not least, our ability to provide glimpses into the future allows for improved workforce planning endeavors.