i4cp People Analytics Board In-Person Meeting

Meeting Details

At the i4cp Next Practices Now Conference in Scottsdale, AZ, the Board came together in-person to explore next practices in People Analytics. 

We began with a conversation around HR information systems and i4cp’s latest research in this area. Members exchanged a number of insights on how to make the implementation and selection process better, but also agreed on some of the pivotal challenges, such as a mismatch of expectations and capabilities, and key stakeholders in the process who fail to consider the end-users’ needs. Members can see the latest in i4cp’s Workforce Technology Knowledge Center.

Hemerson Paes, Sr. Global Network Catalyst, at Roche, presented on The Role of Analytics in the New Way of Management: Leading an Organizational Redesign.  You can access the discussion board here(opens in a new tab). During his remarks, he showed how the democratization of data led to increased collaboration and innovation. Specifically, he shared how providing the top skills requested throughout the company and data on skill adjacency empowered employees to take ownership of their career and development. Employees looking to build their skills could then use the internal marketplace, dubbed the Opportunity Marketplace, to collaborate on projects across the company. This data too is available to all on a live dashboard to provide transparency on engagement and the supply and demand for certain skills. The sharing of data helped double the participation in the marketplace, which has so far contributed to 800 initiatives across 89 countries. Furthermore, he was able to show how this work impacts business strategy and how increased collaboration related to improved sales.

Next Buddy Benge, Head of Talent Insights at Edward Jones, provided an overview of the company’s human capital insights department. The team includes the following: assessments, human capital analytics, human capital surveys, human capital measurements, and team effectiveness measurement. Their research approach is strongly centered on hypothesis testing. He illustrated how the team fits into the company’s analytics ecosystem and discussed their data infrastructure. He showcased some of their recent research projects, including the development of a predictive attrition model, culture and branch performance, P&L fitness, integration of BX and engagement insights, and the redesign of their HC scorecard.

Michael Arons, Takeda’s People Analytics BI & Innovation Lead, presented virtually on Embracing Flexible Working Models: Setting the Data Foundation for Flexible Work Analytics within Takeda. This included a research project designed to explore how employees are using flexible work opportunities, specifically how often employees come back to the office and how that impacts the employee experience. His presentation is attached.

After lunch, the board returned to discuss Culture Fitness, Healthy Habits of High-Performance Organizations, a recent i4cp study. Katheryn Brekken, i4cp Senior Research Analyst, gave an overview of the data, highlighted some of the distinctions between industries, and delved into the research design and methodology behind the study. The board had a rich discussion on the definition of productivity and its relationship to business strategy and culture.

Following the presentation, the group went outside and spent the rest of the afternoon on a pre-determined potpourri of challenges and opportunities they are encountering. This included a discussion on the ethical use of AI in HR, skills, building vs. buying tech platforms, text and sentiment analysis programs, building data literacy, and navigating the growing need for and ownership of human capital analytics from different functions.