In my collection for November I’ve selected articles under the following seven topics: Getting started, building capability, the role of the people analytics leader, ethics and privacy, emerging data sources and techniques, data literacy and for the analyst. There’s also another classic article from the vault as well as the best podcast and video of the month. Enjoy!
The potential of people analytics is enormous but the risk of getting it wrong and losing employee trust – perhaps irrevocably – is high. We all have a responsibility in the people analytics field to ensure that people data is used for good. The articles I’ve selected cover research, case studies, outside-in inspiration on how organisations and the data science community are approaching ethics, tips for HR leaders and people analytics teams and a peak at what the future holds with regards to people data and ethics. Dive in and enjoy…
In this month’s edition, there are articles covering the breadth of people analytics including articles on: how to create a data-driven culture, organisational network analysis, ethics, advice from people analytics leaders and the role of people analytics in the future of work. Authors include Nigel Guenole and Sheri Feinzig, Lexy Martin, Josh Bersin, Rosa Lee, Amit Mohindra and Gustavo Canton. Dive in and enjoy!
The case for diversity and inclusion in the workplace is compelling – not just because it is the right thing to do, but because numerous studies suggest it can drive better business performance too. The articles selected cover research, methodologies, technologies that are focused or have features on diversity and inclusion, the role people analytics can play (see example of creating impact in image below) and several case studies. Enjoy!
This issue of Data Driven HR highlights some of the best freely available research studies on the field. Together they provide a wealth of information, advice, case studies and inspiration that should help those working in the people analytics space, as well as those who want to learn more about one of the fastest growing areas of HR.
July’s collection of the best articles on people analytics and the future of work features new research from Visier, which articulates the link between firm financial performance and proficiency in people analytics. There are also articles from the likes of Richard Rosenow, Bernard Marr and John Boudreau, and a special focus on the future skills required by HR professionals and CEOs.
The blanket news coverage and general opprobrium following the expose of the Cambridge Analytica/Facebook data breach was a good reminder that ethics and data privacy is arguably the most important part of any analytics program – particularly when it comes to HR and employee data.
With perfect (but albeit fortunate) timing, the role of ethics in people analytics was the subject of my presentation at UNLEASH in London little more than three days after the full extent of Cambridge Analytica’s practices were exposed. My article Don’t Forget the ‘H’ in HR, which highlights research and case studies in this area before outlining recommendations for people analytics teams is hopefully a helpful addition to resources about ethics and people data. Certainly, Tracey Smith’s article 5 Ways to Better Protect Your Confidential Data is well worth a read.
From UNLEASH in London, I flew to the US to attend the Wharton People Analytics Conference where ethics featured prominently in the program perhaps most notably in DJ Patil’s and Charles Duhigg’s fascinating keynote discussion – more on this in the next few weeks.
Turning to this month’s choice of articles…
Kicking off this month’s selection is a powerful interview in Stanford Business with Jeffrey Pfeffer about his new book ‘Dying for a Paycheck’, which provides a damning indictment on how the workplace is literally killing people. Not only do modern management practices engender stress, damage engagement and destroy the mental and physical health of employees, Pfeffer also emphasises the massive harm it causes company performance too. This is why the field of people analytics is so important as done well it can shine a light on the damage the practices outlined by Pfeffer cause organisational performance, team dynamics and individual well-being. One can only hope that business leaders around the world read Pfeffer’s book, heed his warnings, say enough is enough and reverse the damage they are causing.
To read the other articles comprising the Top 10 People Analytics articles of March 2018, please read the full blog on LinkedIn.
I believe ethics is the most critical ingredient in people analytics. Those working in the field simply cannot afford to get it wrong. The risk to employee trust and to the reputation of the burgeoning discipline of people analytics is too high.
‘Ethics, Trust and People Analytics’ is the title of my presentation, which will open the Smart Data breakout at UNLEASH in London tomorrow. It is also the subject of this article, which as well as including a copy of my slides, also features recent research by the IBM Smarter Workforce Institute and Insight222.
Research in November 2017 from Insight222 found that 81% of HR people analytics leaders and practitioners reported that their people analytics projects were jeopardised by ethical or privacy concerns (Figure 1).
Head over to LinkedIn to read the rest of Don't Forget the 'H' in HR.
