HR analytics: An emerging field finding its place in the world alongside simmering ethical challenges

Abstract

HR analytics is an emerging field attracting substantial practitioner and academic attention. This article introduces the special issue on HR Aanalytics for the HRMJ. Several recent reviews in the area have struggled to find HR analytics research in the published literature and a key aim of this special issue is to show case high quality analytic projects and cutting‐edge analytic techniques to contribute to this emerging subfield of HRM. Before considering the papers in the special issue, we reflect on two key challenges in the area: First, HR analytics is not a recognized keyword, this makes it difficult to categorise and identify HR analytics research in the field. Second, there are a growing number of reviews of a field that has a limited range of recognised examples of empirical papers to draw on. We discuss the difficulties and potential political sensitivities for practitioners seeking to publish ‘within firm’ HR analytics projects. We also consider the growing recognition that organisations engaging in HR analytics projects have a range of ethical challenges to deal with going forward.

The duality of HR analysts' storytelling: Showcasing and curbing

“…According to this perspective, an organisation may prioritise and invest in certain activities (i.e., HR analytics) because doing so aligns with rational models accepted by other relevant stakeholders and organisations. Indeed, it is evident from the literature that HR analytics is highly profiled at conferences, seen as potentially transformative for HR practice and decision‐making and sold heavily by consultants to practitioners (Angrave et al., 2016; Edwards et al., 2022; Rasmussen & Ulrich, 2015). Institutional theory holds that organisational alignment with rational models of organisation that prevail in the broader environment affords legitimacy which is crucial for viability and survival (Meyer & Rowan, 1977).…”

Human resource management in the age of generative artificial intelligence: Perspectives and research directions on ChatGPT

“…In the past 5 years, human resource management (HRM) scholarship on AI has increased (Budhwar et al, 2022;Chowdhury et al, 2023;Edwards et al, 2022;Malik, Budhwar, & Kazmi, 2022). For instance, recent studies have emphasised the benefits of employing AI-based machine learning (ML) tools to promote diversity (Daugherty The implications for practitioners…”

“…In the past 5 years, human resource management (HRM) scholarship on AI has increased (Budhwar et al., 2022; Chowdhury et al., 2023; Edwards et al., 2022; Malik, Budhwar, & Kazmi, 2022). For instance, recent studies have emphasised the benefits of employing AI‐based machine learning (ML) tools to promote diversity (Daugherty et al., 2018), employee recruitment (Pan et al., 2022), factors influencing AI adoption among HRM managers (Suseno et al., 2022), increasing role of bots to enhance employee workplace experience (Malik, Budhwar, Patel, & Srikanth, 2022), the impact of AI on the job roles, responsibilities, tasks and meaningfulness of work (Wilson et al., 2017), the importance of embedding transparency within the AI algorithms (Chowdhury et al., 2022) and tensions that exist in creating algorithmic inclusion (Kelan, 2023).…”

Human Resources Analytics: A systematic Review from a Sustainable Management Approach

“…We also want to call HRA researchers to give rigorous, clear, transparent, and complete information that could help other colleagues to go further following recommendations recently proposed (Aguinis et al, 2021). However, practitioners may cope with difficulties and potential political sensitivities when seeking to publish 'within firm' HR analytics projects (Edwards et al, 2022) or results.…”