Workforce Insights from a People Analytics Leader at UOB

Interview with Sara Tiew

What does it take to uncover strategic workforce insights and drive data-driven HR transformation??

Sara Tiew, Head of Workforce Transformation and Analytics at United Overseas Bank (UOB), has over a decade of global experience, making her uniquely qualified to share insights on this journey.

Currently based in Singapore, Sara leverages her time in New York and Geneva and consulting roles across functions like compensation and rewards to inform analytics innovation at UOB.?

She also holds the rare honour of being a World Economic Forum Future of Work Fellow, shaping frameworks on reskilling and workforce agility.

In this interview, Sara draws on her diverse analytics exposure to provide tips for success, emerging trends, and her vision for the future of people data.

V: How did you get started in people analytics?

Sara: I've always been drawn to using data to uncover insights across HR domains. My career began in benefits analytics, studying claims data and cost trends, which involved analysing factors affecting healthcare costs. Consulting roles then exposed me to rewards analytics, examining the links between pay and performance. Managing compensation surveys exposed me to pay trends across industries. These experiences sparked my passion for people analytics to provide insights for businesses.?

V: What are the essential skills and mindset required to succeed in people analytics?

Sara: Besides technical skills like statistical modelling and data visualisation, resilience and continuous learning are essential. People analytics is fast-paced, requiring openness to new techniques. Equally important is an ability to move beyond one's comfort zone, bring data to life through contextualisation, and present data in a way that drives decision-making. Passion for combining analytics with storytelling is key, as are skills like setting hypotheses to enable fact-based decision-making.?

V: What is your favourite people analytics metric or approach?

Sara: Productivity metrics that consider finance, operational efficiency, and workforce structure provide a holistic view. These metrics help assess workforce performance and value delivery across the employee lifecycle, not just in isolation.

V: How do you make people analytics insights digestible and actionable for business leaders and stakeholders?

Sara: Begin with the end in mind. Set clear hypotheses, thoroughly understand the business problem and decision makers involved, and design targeted analysis that addresses the issue. Avoid irrelevant data. It's about discussing implications and enabling strategic decisions, not just reporting data. Modern analytics platforms assist in presenting insights effectively.??

V: How do you stay current with the latest innovations and best practices in people analytics??

Sara: I stay curious through multiple channels - LinkedIn articles, respected thought leaders' perspectives, HR social networks and vendor solution briefings. Within the organisation, I enjoy connecting within the analytics community of practice to learn from colleagues from other domains.

V: What is a current trend or topic in people analytics that you think is particularly important right now?

Sara: Predictive analytics is still evolving. There is an opportunity to utilise Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning further to improve recruitment, deployment and performance management. Generative AI is gaining attention to help reduce operations and improve efficiency. We should also focus on ethical AI applications to prevent biases.?

V: What is the future of people analytics in the next 5-10 years??

Sara: People analytics will become ubiquitous in HR. A small group of specialist data scientists will focus on building advanced models whilst every HR practitioner uses basic analytics. Integrated analytics will permeate across the entire employee journey. AI will play a role, but we must prioritise ethical applications.??

V: What do you enjoy most about your role in people analytics??

Sara: I'm energised by synthesising data to create unified insights that tell a complete workforce story. I enjoy connecting the dots across the employee experience journey and helping leaders see the bigger picture. It is rewarding to uncover insights and create compelling narratives for stakeholders.?