Power of People, The: Learn How Successful Organizations Use Workforce Analytics To Improve Business Performance, 1st edition
Published by Pearson FT Press (May 22, 2017) © 2017
- Nigel Guenole
- Jonathan Ferrar
- Sheri Feinzig
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Business leaders today are seeking meaningful patterns in their people data that will help them gain a competitive edge. The answer is in the growing discipline of workforce analytics.
Much attention has already been paid to the technical requirements for implementing workforce analytics, now, there's a book that covers the organisational development and change management issues that will make or break your success.
Drawing on insights from dozens of experts in workforce analytics as well as their own cutting edge experience within IBM, the authors walk step-by-step through setting up and then embedding workforce analytics capabilities.Â
With candid case studies and clear advice from those who have already faced and overcome the challenges associated with workforce analytics, you'll learn how to:
- Begin with a vision, not data analysis
- Pick your projects wisely, so you can "earn your keep" with visible, valuable successesÂ
- Build a team with the right skills to deliver the insights your organisation needs
- Identify the right stakeholders and sponsors to ensure successÂ
- Choose the best technology for your analytics needs
- Handle some of the sensitivities around using employee data in analytics projectsÂ
- Run a successful workforce analytics function for the long termÂ
- Use storytelling techniques to ensure you can influence organisational decisions or initiatives with the results of  your workforce analytics projects
Analytics are rapidly becoming pervasive in functions ranging from Finance to Marketing. Now, discover how HR can gain just as much value, by informing every key decision with the best possible insight.
About the Authors    xix
Interviewees    xxi
Vignettes    xxv
Preface    xxvii
PART I:Â UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDAMENTALSÂ Â Â Â 1
Chapter 1 Why Workforce Analytics?    3
Adoption of Analytics    4
HR’s Contribution to Business Value    4
The Changing Nature of HRÂ Â Â Â 7
The Future of Work    11
Summary    13
Chapter 2 What’s in a Name?    15
Focus of the Function    16
Activities of the Function    17
A Name Fit for the Future    18
Summary    18
Chapter 3 The Workforce Analytics Leader    19
Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer    20
Responsibilities of the Workforce Analytics Leader    20
Business Acumen    22
Leadership Attributes    23
Summary    26
Chapter 4 Purposeful Analytics    27
A Model for Purposeful Analytics    28
Project Sponsors    38
Why Do Analytics Projects Fail?    40
Summary    42
Chapter 5 Basics of Data Analysis    43
Research Design    44
Objectives of Analysis    47
Unstructured Data    52
Traditional Statistics versus Machine Learning    53
Social Consequences of Algorithms    54
More on Design and Analysis    56
Summary    56
Chapter 6 Case Studies    57
Eight-Step Methodology    58
Case Study: Improving Careers Through Retention Analytics at Nielsen    59
Case Study: From Employee Engagement to Profitability at ISS Group    65
Case Study: Growing Sales Using Workforce Analytics at Rentokil Initial    71
Case Study: Increasing Value to the Taxpayer at the Metropolitan Police    76
Case Study: Predictive Analytics Improves Employee Well-Being at Westpac    80
Summary    83
PART II:Â GETTING STARTED 85
Chapter 7Â Set Your Direction 87
You Have the Job! Now What?    88
Listening to Prospective Project Sponsors    90
The Seven Forces of Demand    91
Agreeing on the Scope of Analytics    95
Developing a Vision and Mission Statement    95
Summary    97
Chapter 8 Engage with Stakeholders    99
Who Are Stakeholders?    100
Stakeholders Served    101
Stakeholders Depended Upon    106
Stakeholders Impacted    113
Working Effectively with Stakeholders    118
Summary    121
Chapter 9 Get a Quick Win    123
Identifying Potential Projects    125
Complexity-Impact Matrix    125
Assessing Complexity and Impact    129
Summary    133
PART III:Â BUILDING YOUR CAPABILITYÂ Â Â Â 135
Chapter 10 Know Your Data    137
A Pragmatic View of Data    138
Solving Data Quality Challenges    138
Data Types and Sources    147
Data Governance    152
Remember the Basics    152
Summary    155
Chapter 11 Know Your Technology    157
Starting with Vision and Mission    158
Components of Workforce Analytics Technology    159
On-Premise Versus Cloud    164
Technology Vendor Relationships    165
Summary    167
Chapter 12 Build the Analytics Team    169
Six Skills for Success    170
Configuring Team Roles    181
Remember the Fundamentals!    184
Summary    185
Chapter 13 Partner for Skills    187
Why Consider Partners?    188
Options for Building the Team    188
Choosing Among the Options    197
Summary    200
Chapter 14 Establish an Operating Model    203
Defining Your Operating Model    204
Strategy    205
Governance    205
Implementation    212
Accountability    221
Summary    224
PART IV:Â ESTABLISHING AN ANALYTICS CULTUREÂ Â Â Â 225
Chapter 15 Enable Analytical Thinking    227
Perspectives of Analytics in HRÂ Â Â Â 228
The Translator Role    234
The Importance of Leadership    236
Summary    237
Chapter 16 Overcome Resistance    239
Resistance to Workforce Analytics    240
Stakeholder Skepticism    240
Financial Frugality    245
HR Hesitancy    246
Summary    252
Chapter 17 Communicate with Storytelling and Visualization    253
What Is Storytelling?    254
Effective Visualization    263
Knowing Your Audience    269
Keeping It Simple    273
Summary    275
Chapter 18 The Road Ahead    277
Analytics Provides New Opportunities for HRÂ Â Â Â 278
Emerging Data Sources    278
Considering New Data Sources    280
Evolving Technology    282
The Workforce Analytics Function    283
Summary    286
Glossary    287
References    295
Index    301
Jonathan Ferrar is a respected consultant, speaker, and influencer in HR strategy, workforce analytics, and the future of work. He advises clients on how to establish human resources strategies that will improve business performance and make HR more relevant. He was listed as one of the global Top 50 HR Analytics Influencers on LinkedIn in 2014 and as one of the 15 HR and People Analytics Experts to Follow for 2017 by Jibe. Before he started his own consultancy business, Jonathan worked for more than 25 years in corporate business in IBM, Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), and Lloyds Bank, for many of those years in senior executive management roles in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Jonathan has worked with C-suite clients and business leaders across the globe on human resources management and workforce analytics. He holds a bachelor of arts degree and a master of arts degree from the University of Cambridge and a postgraduate diploma in human resources management from Kingston Business School. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (Chartered FCIPD).
Sheri Feinzig is a director at IBM, where she leads a global team of consultants, content development experts, and the Smarter Workforce Institute. Sheri has more than 20 years of experience in human resources research, organizational change management, and business transformation. She has applied her analytical and methodological expertise to numerous research-based projects on topics such as employee retention, employee engagement, performance feedback, social network analysis, and organizational culture. Sheri received her Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University at Albany, State University of New York. She has presented on numerous occasions at national conferences and has coauthored a number of publications and white papers. She has served as an adjunct professor in the psychology departments of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, and the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois, where she taught doctoral, masters, and undergraduate courses on performance appraisal, tests, and measures. Sheri is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP).
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