How can HR use people analytics to revolutionise the workplace experience?

We’ve just wrapped up Series 38 of the Digital HR Leaders Podcast at Insight222 . While the conversation with guests in each episode explored a myriad of different topics, the one common question for each episode was: How can HR leaders harness the power of employee insights and analytics to revolutionise the workplace experience??

A summary of each episode together with associated links follows:

Sponsored by our friends at Worklytics

Worklytics is a people centric analytics solution that combines passive listening with Organisational Network Analysis (ONA) to help you understand how work is getting done.??

Curious to see how it works?? Worklytics is offering a free Collaboration Analysis to the first 10 qualified companies who express interest by clicking on the following link:?www.worklytics.co/DigitalHRLeaders ?

EP1: NICOLE LAMOREAUX – How IBM Uses AI to Transform HR

CHROs are being asked to use AI to transform their function and the people experiences in their organisations. They're also being asked to reskill the workforce because AI is changing every job.

In the first episode of the series, my guest was Nickle LaMoreaux , Chief Human Resources Officer at IBM . Our conversation focuses on the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence in HR. With a spotlight on IBM’s pioneering work in integrating AI into HR practices, Nickle shares insights into how AI is revolutionising the way we think about work, workplace and workforce.

We're really using AI in three broad categories: recommendations, assistants, and agents. This is transforming our HR function.

In our conversation, Nickle and I discuss:

• The evolution of AI in HR at IBM.
• How IBM is harnessing AI to transform HR practices, drive business outcomes, and elevate employee experience.
• Examples including HiRo: IBM’s digital worker:

HiRo saved our managers over 50,000 hours last year during the promotion cycle. And we're getting better results, better feedback from employees and managers, we're getting zero defects on the way to payroll and compensation payments.

• The five principles of IBM’s approach to Responsible AI: explainability, fairness, robustness, transparency, and privacy.
• The emerging trends and the skills HR professionals need to stay ahead in the digital age.

All HR professionals... do have to learn the basics about AI. I believe very strongly this is going to transform all of our jobs.

Listen to my conversation with Nickle on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, by visiting the Digital HR Leaders podcast homepage and clicking the corresponding logo.

Connect with Nickle on LinkedIn, and read more about HiRO: Creating the future of Human Resources . For more on IBM’s approach to people data and analytics, I also highly recommend subscribing to Pietro Mazzoleni ’s People Data Platform bi-weekly LinkedIn Newsletter.

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EP2: COLE NUSSBAUMER KNAFLIC – How HR professionals can Master Storytelling with Data

Somebody can make the most beautiful graph or slide and if they can't subsequently talk through that information in a way that engages their audience... the beautiful graph is going to fail.

In the second episode of the series, my guest was Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic , CEO of storytelling with data and formerly part of Google's People Analytics team. Cole joined me for a deeply insightful conversation on the transformative power of storytelling in the context of people data and analytics, which featured insights from her third book: Storytelling with You: Plan, Create, and Deliver a Stellar Presentation .

In today's fast-paced world, data is not just numbers on a spreadsheet. It's the heartbeat of our organisation, telling us stories of our employees' journeys, aspirations, and challenges.

In our conversation, Cole and I walk through her three steps to Plan, Create and Deliver stellar presentations, as we discuss:

• How AI technologies can enhance storytelling skills
• Strategies to better understand your audience and customise your presentations for maximum impact
• Essential guidelines for presenting data to stakeholders
• Cole's secrets to captivating an audience, from confidence and tone of voice to avoiding common speaking pitfalls
• Best practices for seeking and utilising feedback to continuously enhance your presentation skills.

AI... is exciting in how quickly it's going to enable us to analyse data... [But] the skill that I really don't see AI helping us with... is this ability to engage with another human being to bring in the context... in a way that helps whatever the output of the generative AI is to help it make sense and be meaningful.

Listen to my conversation with Cole on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, by visiting the Digital HR Leaders podcast homepage and clicking the corresponding image.

Connect with Cole on LinkedIn, follow her on Twitter @storywithdata , and visit Cole’s website, Storytelling with Data , to find out more about her work.

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EP3: CATHERINE COPPINGER – How to Use Passive Data to Enhance Manager Effectiveness

The network density of your manager is really important. Managers that are more connected to departments outside of their own typically have an easier time driving the kind of support, sponsorship, and visibility for their teams that they really need to.

In the middle episode of the series, I was delighted to welcome Catherine Coppinger , Head of Customer Insight at Worklytics . We discuss her recent research on manager effectiveness, which included some surprising insights that challenge the traditional views of management.

In our conversation, Catherine and I discuss:

• How the role of managers has evolved post-pandemic due to hybrid work models, distributed teams, greater employee expectations, and new technology integrations.
• How passive data and ONA can be utilised to assess manager effectiveness
• The impact of network density on manager and team effectiveness
• The ideal team size and manager span of control based on research
• The ethical considerations in using passive data to inform business and HR strategies

Passive data is an extension of employee listening that goes beyond just what people say in a survey to really provide behavioural insights about how work is getting done.

Listen to my conversation with Catherine on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, by visiting the Digital HR Leaders podcast homepage and clicking the corresponding image.

Connect with Catherine on LinkedIn, and read here on the Worklytics study on manager effectiveness: Manager Effectiveness: It's Time for a New Playbook .

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EP4: LOREN SHUSTER - Lego’s Blueprint for Modern HR: People, Places and Culture

Our new HR operating model is) a three-pronged framework: product management, communities of excellence, and flexible business partnering. We're moving from centres of excellence to communities of excellence, where everything we create is co-designed with our colleagues.

My guest for the penultimate episode of the series was Loren I. Shuster , Chief People Officer at the LEGO Group . We discuss Lego’s blueprint for modern HR, which combines People, Places and Culture and is designed around a three-pronged framework encompassing product management, communities of excellence and flexible business partnering.

In our conversation, Loren and I discuss:

• How integrating ‘People, Places and Culture’ aligns with Lego’s broader business objectives.
• How this model influences Lego’s approach to talent management, workplace design, and cultural development.
• How Lego utilises technology and analytics to support its innovative people practices and maintain its commitment to continuous innovation.
• How these practices enable a flexible and adaptive organisational culture.
• Guidance for other organisations looking to innovate their HR practices in similar transformative ways.

HR leaders should focus on creating the right context for people in the organisation to thrive so that they can deliver the best results for the company.

Listen to my conversation with Loren on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, by visiting the Digital HR Leaders podcast homepage and clicking the corresponding image.

Connect with Loren on LinkedIn.

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EP5: CRAIG STARBUCK – Understanding the Build vs. Buy Dilemma in People Analytics and HR Tech

It’s really important (for people analytics functions) to build strategic and cross-functional collaborations with stakeholders, because if we’re sitting back and just taking orders and reacting to requests, we miss the opportunity to be strategic and more proactive.

In the final episode of the series, my guest was Craig Starbuck, PhD , who has spent a decade in the people analytics field leading teams at companies including Robinhood, Mastercard and Equifax, and is currently Head of People Data, Analytics, and Technology at Roku . In addition, Craig has also built OrgAcuity , a platform designed to make people analytics accessible to every organisation, and published a book, The Fundamentals of People Analytics: With Applications in R .

In our conversation, Craig and I discuss the Build vs. Buy conundrum with regards to people analytics technology. Craig has experience of both during his ten-year career in the space; and offers a salient perspective on the pros and cons of both.

Having built internal data platforms at two different organisations and having purchased off-the-shelf products from vendor partners, if someone is building a new people analytics capability, I would advise them first and foremost to buy their people data infrastructure

In the episode, Craig and I also discuss:

• The importance of people analytics partnering with finance to drive measurable business outcomes
• How to frame analytics insights in the language of the business
• How Craig is integrating passive and active data at Roku across a multitude of use cases
• Insights on upskilling HR teams in advanced analytics tools and methodologies
• The potential impact of GenAI on people analytics

If you can bring active and passive data together, there’s so much more information and insight you can glean on manager effectiveness, distributed teams, remote vs. hybrid models…

Listen to my conversation with Craig on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, by visiting the Digital HR Leaders podcast homepage and clicking the corresponding image.

Connect with Craig on LinkedIn, and find out more about OrgAcuity and Craig’s book - The Fundamentals of People Analytics: With Applications in R.

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WATCH THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF SERIES 38

You can also watch each episode on the?myHRfuture YouTube channel . ?A playlist collating these videos together can be viewed below:

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THANK YOU

Thanks to all our guests as well as Laura Morris , Philip Arkcoll and the team at Worklytics for sponsoring this series of the Digital HR Leaders podcast. Thanks too to Manpreet Randhawa , Stefan Kesi? , Jasmine Panayides , and the team at Insight222 and myHRfuture for bringing the podcast to life.

We’ll be back with Series 39, which kicks off on Tuesday May 21 with an episode with Daisy Auger-Domínguez (she/her/ella) . Don’t miss that one!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST AND NEWSLETTER

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPONSOR A SERIES OF THE DIGITAL HR LEADERS PODCAST?

If you’re interested in sponsoring a series of the podcast, please get in touch with Manpreet Randhawa at [email protected] .

CATCH UP ON PREVIOUS EPISODES OF THE DIGITAL HR LEADERS PODCAST

You can access all 200+ previous episodes of the Digital HR Leaders podcast going all the way back to our first episode with Sharon Doherty (she/her) in May 2019, by going to the Digital HR Leaders homepage . Below are a sample of episodes from the past 12 months:

• Unlocking Organisational Resilience Through a Skills-Based Approach (with Susan Cantrell and Michael Griffiths )
• How Standard Chartered is Unlocking the Power of Skills in the Workplace (with Tanuj Kapilashrami )
• Navigating the Talent Marketplace of the Future (with Jeff Schwartz and Jeroen Wels )
• How AI Can Unlock Human Potential and Make Work More Meaningful (with Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic )
• How Workday Created An Impactful People Analytics Function (with Phil Willburn )
• How To Turn People Data into Actionable Insights (with Caroline O'Reilly )
• How Johnson & Johnson are Scaling Their Skills-Based Approach to Talent (with Christina Norris-Watts and Doug Shagam )
• How Meta Developed a High-Performing People Analytics Team (with Alexis Fink )
• How Raytheon Technologies Productises People Analytics at Scale (with Aashish Sharma )
• People Analytics, Now and the Future: Insights from Wharton PAC (with Prasad Setty and Dawn Klinghoffer )
• Rethinking Leadership for the Future of Work (with Heather E. McGowan ?????????? )
• Empowering HR and People Analytics Leaders in Managing Microstress (with Karen Dillon and Rob Cross )
• How can people analytics and network data support a successful return to the office? (with Philip Arkcoll )
• How To Scale People Analytics Through Experimentation and Productisation (with Ian OKeefe )
• How to Build a Thriving Workforce Ecosystem (with Elizabeth J. Altman and Robin Jones )
• How to Democratise Data for People Manager Effectiveness (with Lexy Martin )
• How Novartis Use People Data to Navigate Business Transformation (with Ashish Pant )
• How to Create Personalised Employee Experiences (with Piyush Mehta )
• How to Democratise Strategic Workforce Planning (with Alicia Roach and Chris Hare )
• Unmasking Common Myths around Remote Work (with Nick Bloom )
• Nestle’s 4B Methodology to Strategic Workforce Planning (with Alex Browne )
• How to buy HR Technology and use it effectively (with Madeline Laurano )
• Booking.com ’s 360-degree view of Employee Experience (with Paulo Pisano )
• How will AI impact People Analytics and HR in 2024 and beyond? (with Thomas Hedegaard Rasmussen Dawn Klinghoffer and Jeremy Shapiro )
• How to Enhance your Career in People Analytics (with Serena H. Huang, Ph.D. )
• How to Overcome AI Adoption Challenges in HR (with Eric Siegel )
• How AI, Generative AI and Analytics is Fuelling Data Driven HR (with Bernard Marr )
• Microsoft's Key to Strategic Workforce Planning Success (with Rebecca Thielen )
• How to Embrace Long-Term Thinking in HR Leadership (with Dorie Clark )
• How to Prove the ROI of a Positive Company Culture (with Didier Elzinga )
• What is Evidence Based HR and Why is it Important? (with Rob Briner )
• How to deliver business value with people analytics in a SME (with Louise Millar and Olivia Edwards Assoc CIPD )

UNLOCK THE POTENTIAL OF YOUR PEOPLE ANALYTICS FUNCTION THROUGH THE INSIGHT222 PEOPLE ANALYTICS PROGRAM

At Insight222, our mission is to make organisations better by putting people analytics at the centre of business and upskilling the HR profession The Insight222 People Analytics Program? is your gateway to a world of knowledge, networking, and growth. Developed exclusively for people analytics leaders and their teams, the program equips you with the frameworks, guidance, learnings, and connections you need to create greater impact.

As the landscape of people analytics becomes increasingly complex, with data, technology, and ethical considerations at the forefront, our program brings together over one hundred organisations to collectively address these shared challenges.

Insight222 Peer Meetings are a core component of the Insight222 People Analytics Program? . They allow participants to learn, network and co-create solutions together with the purpose of ultimately growing the business value that people analytics can deliver to their organisations. If you would like to learn more, contact us today .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Green ???? is a globally respected author, speaker, conference chair, and executive consultant on people analytics, data-driven HR and the future of work.?As Managing Partner and Executive Director at Insight222 , he has overall responsibility for the delivery of the Insight222 People Analytics Program, which supports the advancement of people analytics in over 90 global organisations.?Prior to co-founding Insight222, David accumulated over 20 years experience in the human resources and people analytics fields, including as Global Director of People Analytics Solutions at IBM. As such, David has extensive experience in helping organisations increase value, impact and focus from the wise and ethical use of people analytics.?David also hosts the Digital HR Leaders Podcast and is an instructor for Insight222's myHRfuture Academy . His book, co-authored with Jonathan Ferrar, Excellence in People Analytics: How to use Workforce Data to Create Business Value was published in the summer of 2021.

SEE ME AT THESE EVENTS

I'll be speaking about people analytics, the future of work, and data driven HR at a number of upcoming events in 2024:

• June 4-5 - Insight222 European Peer Meeting (hosted by Nestlé in Vevey, Switzerland) - exclusively for member organisations of the Insight222 People Analytics Program
• June 25-26 - Insight222 North American Peer Meeting (Minneapolis, US) - exclusively for member organisations of the Insight222 People Analytics Program
• September 16-19 - Workday Rising (Las Vegas)
• September 24-26 - Insight222 Global Executive Retreat (Colorado, US) - exclusively for member organisations of the Insight222 People Analytics Program
• October 16-17 - UNLEASH World (Paris)
• October 22-23 - Insight222 North American Peer Meeting (hosted by Workday in Pleasanton, CA) - exclusively for member organisations of the Insight222 People Analytics Program
• November 12-14 - Workday Rising EMEA (London)
• November 19-20 - Insight222 European Peer Meeting (hosted by Merck in Darmstadt, Germany) - exclusively for member organisations of the Insight222 People Analytics Program

More events will be added as they are confirmed.