How can you incorporate qualitative data into global talent metrics?

1 Why use qualitative data?

Quantitative data can tell you what is happening with your global talent metrics, but not why or how. Qualitative data can help you understand the underlying reasons, context, and implications of your numerical results. For example, if you notice a high turnover rate in a certain region, you may want to collect qualitative data from exit interviews, surveys, or focus groups to find out what factors are influencing the employees' decisions to leave. Qualitative data can also help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your employer brand, your candidate experience, and your employee engagement across different cultures and locations.

2 How to collect qualitative data?

Various methods and tools can be used to collect qualitative data for global talent metrics. Interviews are one way to gather opinions, feedback, or stories from candidates, employees, or managers. Structured, semi-structured, or unstructured questions can be used depending on the objectives and level of detail. Surveys can be used to measure satisfaction, expectations, or preferences of target groups through open-ended or closed-ended questions. Focus groups with a small number of participants who share a common characteristic or interest related to global talent metrics can be organized to generate ideas, explore attitudes, or test hypotheses. Observation and documentation of behaviors, interactions, or expressions of candidates or employees in their natural settings can capture realities, challenges, or opportunities. Case studies of specific situations, events, or individuals can showcase best practices, success stories, and lessons learned from global talent initiatives.

3 How to analyze qualitative data?

Analyzing qualitative data can be more complex and time-consuming than analyzing quantitative data, as it requires more interpretation, coding, and synthesis. However, there are certain steps and techniques that can help you make sense of your qualitative data and draw meaningful insights. These include transcription, coding, thematic analysis, content analysis, and narrative analysis. Transcription involves converting audio or video recordings into written text, while coding involves assigning labels, categories, or themes to different segments of text, images, or audio. Thematic analysis focuses on identifying and describing the main patterns present in the data, while content analysis looks at quantifying and measuring the frequency of certain words or concepts. Narrative analysis involves constructing and examining stories or characters in the data to understand motivations or emotions. Utilizing these steps and techniques can help you extract valuable insights from your qualitative data.

5 How to use qualitative data?

Using qualitative data can help you improve your global talent metrics and outcomes by providing deeper insights, richer feedback, and more actionable recommendations. Qualitative data can be used for benchmarking to identify gaps, strengths, or opportunities for improvement. It can also be used for evaluation to measure results, outcomes, or impacts and assess effectiveness, efficiency, or relevance. Furthermore, it can inform decisions related to hiring, developing, or retaining talent and align actions with goals, strategies, or values. Finally, qualitative data can be used for communication to share stories, insights, or recommendations with stakeholders, partners, or customers.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?