The evolution of People Analytics at Microsoft

People analytics is the secret sauce to digital transformation

I'm often asked to provide examples of global organisations that lead the way when it comes to people analytics, whether that's based on business outcomes, benefit to the workforce or sophistication of the work.

Microsoft is always one of the first companies that I mention. The leader of Microsoft's People Analytics team is Dawn Klinghoffer and she is my guest on this week’s episode of the podcast, Dawn has led the People Analytics function at Microsoft for over 15 years, and we caught up recently at the Global Executive Retreat that Insight222 and TI People hosted on the topics of Next Gen HR, people analytics and digital HR.

I've known Dawn for a few years and never fail to be impressed with the pioneering work she and her team are doing at Microsoft. In our conversation, Dawn and I discuss the evolution of people analytics at Microsoft and the recent change she has made in how the team is organised.

You can listen below or by visiting the podcast website here.

In our conversation, Dawn and I discuss:

• Her vision for people analytics and how the operating model for the people analytics function at Microsoft is organised
• The importance of employee trust in creating and sustaining an advanced people analytics function
• Examples of people analytics projects being delivered at Microsoft including a new Manager Hub, which will prompt managers to take data based decisions and advise what the outcomes will be if they make that decision
• Ways to create a data driven culture
• The advice Dawn would give to a new Head of People Analytics
• We look into the crystal ball and ponder what the role of HR will be in 2025

In order for my (people analytics) team to be successful, we need to work across the organisation

This episode is a must listen for anyone in a workforce or people analytics role, HR and business professionals interested in how people data can drive business outcomes and CHROs looking to build or scale their people analytics capabilities.

Support for this podcast is brought to you by OrgVue to learn more, visit orgvue.com.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

To listen to the Podcast and read the transcript of my interview with Dawn, head over to myHRfuture by clicking on this link: The Evolution of People Analytics at Microsoft.

WATCH THE VIDEOS

As well as the podcast, there are a couple of videos available on the myHRfuture YouTube channel highlighting two of the topics Dawn and I covered in our conversation.

Firstly, Dawn describes: How Microsoft uses People Analytics to add value to employees and managers.

Then Dawn tackles the question I ask all my guests on the show: What will be the role of HR in 2025? 

A SMALL FAVOUR

If you enjoyed listening to the discussion with Dawn, I'd be grateful if you could take the following steps:

1. Please subscribe to the Digital HR Leaders podcast and weekly newsletter to make sure you don’t miss an episode.
2. Please take the time to rate the show on iTunes. We rely on your feedback and support to make the podcast, so this is very helpful!
3. Who would you like to see me interview in future episodes? Let me know in the comments below.
4. Lastly, don’t forget to share on social media with your friends and colleagues, your support is always greatly appreciated!

THANK YOU

A huge thank you to Dawn for sharing her time and expertise. You can connect with Dawn on LinkedIn and follow Dawn on Twitter.

As mentioned in the Podcast discussion, Dawn has written or co-authored several articles describing some of the work she and her team have done at Microsoft. A sample of these are below:

• People Analytics for Good
• How Data Can Help You Win in the Winner-Take-All Economy
• Every New Employee Needs an Onboarding “Buddy”
• To Retain New Hires, Make Sure You Meet with Them in Their First Week
• Managers are like a box of chocolates...

Thanks also to Ian Bailie, Manpreet Randhawa and the myHRfuture team, and last but not least to OrgVue for sponsoring Series 5 of the Digital HR Leaders podcast and video series.

Next week my guest is Rupert Morrision, CEO at OrgVue, on Data-Driven Organisation Design, so make sure you don't miss it.

CATCH UP WITH ALL THE FIRST 25 EPISODES OF THE DIGITAL HR LEADERS PODCAST

If you haven't listened to some of the other episodes of the Digital HR Leaders Podcast, you can catch up now by clicking on the links below:

• EP 25: Julie Digby - How HR Drives Transformation and Org Design at Mars
• EP 24: RJ Milnor - How McKesson uses ONA to identify what drives high performance in sales
• EP 23: Rupert Morrison - Rethinking Workforce Planning & Organisation Design
• EP 22: Dawn Klinghoffer - The Evolution of People Analytics at Microsoft
• EP 21: John Boudreau - Reinventing Jobs: The Future of Work and it's impact on HR
• EP 20: Tanuj Kapilashrami - How Standard Chartered designed an exceptional Employee Experience
• EP 19: Anna Tavis: What is Agile HR and how are companies adopting it?
• EP 18: Sarah Johnson: How to use employee surveys to create strategic value
• EP 17: Leena Nair - How HR drives business value at Unilever
• EP 16: Keith McNulty - HR 3.0: more data driven, more agile and more business focused
• EP 15: Jason Corsello - The Shift From HR Tech to Work Tech
• EP 14: Jill Larsen - How does the CHRO successfully partner with the CEO
• EP 13: Frida Polli - How AI and Behavioural Science can reduce bias in recruiting
• EP 12: Ian O'Keefe - The Workforce Analytics journey at JP Morgan Chase
• EP 11: Dave Ulrich - The role of HR in the Digital Age
• EP 10: Jordan Pettman - How Nestlé uses People Analytics to measure Gender Pay Gap and Equity
• EP 9: Catalina Schveninger - The Evolution of Corporate Learning at Vodafone
• EP 8: Richard Collins - How is Automation, AI and Analytics changing recruiting?
• EP 7: Katarina Berg - Spotify's CHRO on Leading HR in a digital world
• EP 6: Nick Holley - How HR can become more business relevant 
• EP 5: Eden Britt - How to build a People Analytics team in a global organisation | The People Analytics journey at HSBC 
• EP 4: Yvette Cameron - How Blockchain will disrupt the Future of Work and HR Technology 
• EP 3: Didier Elzinga - How to Create a Culture First Company 
• EP 2: Edward Houghton - The Head of Research at the CIPD on Driving Business Performance with People Data 
• EP 1: Sharon Doherty - How to transform HR to be more digital and building a culture of diversity

PRESS PLAY ON YOUR CAREER: JOIN THE myHRfuture ONLINE ACADEMY

Watch. Listen. Learn. Succeed. All in one collaborative space. Access bitesized learning content to help you build knowledge in skills such as People Analytics, Digital HR and HR Technology, Design Thinking and Workforce Planning. Get 12 months of unlimited access to all of the content on myHRfuture for one amazing low price.

__________________________________________________________________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David is a globally respected writer, speaker, conference chair, and executive consultant on people analytics, data-driven HR and the future of work. As an Executive Director at Insight222, he helps global organisations create more cultural and economic value through the wise and ethical use of people data and analytics. Prior to joining Insight222 and taking up a board advisor role at TrustSphere, David was the Global Director of People Analytics Solutions at IBM Watson Talent. As such, David has extensive experience in helping organisations embark upon and accelerate their people analytics journeys. 

SEE ME SPEAK AT THESE EVENTS IN 2020

Now that my speaking gigs are over for 2019, it’s time to look forward to 2020. I’ll be chairing and/or speaking about people analytics, data-driven HR and the Nine Dimensions for Excellence in People Analytics model at the following events until the end of May 2020.

• 29-31 Jan – PAFOW San Francisco
• 19-21 Feb – Tech HR, Singapore
• 16-17 Mar – HR Core Lab – Leading with Talent Analytics, Barcelona
• 24-25 Mar – UNLEASH Spring, London
• 29-30 Apr – PAFOW London
• 12-13 May – UNLEASH America, Las Vegas