The rise (and fall?) of HR analytics

Abstract

Purpose Driven by the rapidly accelerating pace of technology-enabled developments within human resource management (HRM), human resource (HR) analytics is infiltrating the research and business agenda. As one of the first in its field, the purpose of this paper is to explore what the future of HR analytics might look like. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 20 practitioners of HR analytics, based in 11 large Dutch organizations, the authors investigated what the application, value, structure, and system support of HR analytics might look like in 2025. Findings The findings suggest that, by 2025, HR analytics will have become an established discipline, will have a proven impact on business outcomes, and will have a strong influence in operational and strategic decision making. Furthermore, the development of HR analytics will be characterized by integration, with data and IT infrastructure integrated across disciplines and even across organizational boundaries. Moreover, the HR analytics function may very well be subsumed in a central analytics function – transcending individual disciplines such as marketing, finance, and HRM. Practical implications The results of the research imply that HR analytics, as a separate function, department, or team, may very well cease to exist, even before it reaches maturity. Originality/value Empirical research on HR analytics is scarce, and studies on scenarios, values, and structures of expected developments in HR analytics are non-existent. This research intends to contribute to a better understanding of the development of HR analytics, to facilitate business and HR leaders in taking informed decisions on investing in the further development of the HR analytics discipline. Such investments may lead to an enhanced HR analytics capability within organizations, and cultivate the fact-based and data-driven culture that many organizations and leaders try to pursue.

Tackling the HR digitalization challenge: key factors and barriers to HR analytics adoption

“…Despite the use of data-driven methods and techniques to evaluate HR management is not a new topic in the literature (see, Marler and Boudreau, 2017;van den Heuvel and Bondarouk, 2017), the truth is that analytics in HR management (usually known as Workforce Analytics, HR Analytics, Talent Analytics, or People Analytics) is gaining momentum. Several authors (e.g., Fink and Sturman, 2017;Marler and Boudreau, 2017) suggest that this new approach is not just a rebranding of old practices, but rather represents a transformative digital disruption.…”

Turning Data Into Valuable Insights: The Case Study in Aviation Sector Company

“…HR Analytics goes one step further by trying to understand relations and interactions between personnel related characteristics of an organization (Fitz-enz & Mattox, 2014). The transition of the use of HR metrics towards HR Analytics is seen as the beginning of an evolution of the HR function (Fitz-enz, 2010;Van den Heuvel & Bondarouk, 2016). This evolution entails a transformation from the traditional administrative HR function to a more strategic HR function that is able to show impact on organizational performance with numbers (Fitz-enz, 2010).…”

“…Since HR Analytics is a new HR tool, only a few organizations have so far succeeded in implementing and using HR Analytics. Many HR practitioners are struggling with HR Analytics as it is difficult to have the right competences and available resources and thereby, HR Analytics should be specifically tailored to the organization (Bassi, 2011;Lawler et al, 2004;Van den Heuvel & Bondarouk, 2016). Since researchers have only recently focused their attention on HR Analytics, there is not much academic literature available yet (Fink, 2010;Van den Heuvel & Bondarouk, 2016).…”

“…Many HR practitioners are struggling with HR Analytics as it is difficult to have the right competences and available resources and thereby, HR Analytics should be specifically tailored to the organization (Bassi, 2011;Lawler et al, 2004;Van den Heuvel & Bondarouk, 2016). Since researchers have only recently focused their attention on HR Analytics, there is not much academic literature available yet (Fink, 2010;Van den Heuvel & Bondarouk, 2016). Therefore, HR practitioners who want to conduct HR Analytics are highly dependent on success stories, recommended action plans and advises of HR practitioners that have already implemented HR Analytics within their organizations (Fitz-enz, 2010;Fitz-enz & Mattox, 2014;Pease et al, 2014).…”

Avant-propos

“…L'analytique RH est une pratique touchant aux ressources humaines fondée sur les technologies de l'information qui utilise des analyses descriptives, visuelles et statistiques des données sur les processus touchant aux ressources humaines, au capital humain, aux résultats de l'organisation et aux valeurs économiques de référence extérieures pour déterminer l'effet sur l'entreprise et permettre une prise de décision axée sur les données(Marler et Boudreau, 2017). L'analytique RH renvoie à la mise en évidence et au chiffrage systématique des déterminants humains des résultats de l'entreprise(Heuvel et Bondarouk, 2016). Cette définition englobe analytique des ressources humaines, des talents et du capital humain qui suivent une approche centrée sur l'individu.…”