HR如何可以成为组织中的影响者 How HR Can Become an Organizational Influencer文章《HR如何成为组织的影响者》强调了HR在推动组织变革中的关键作用,通过战略影响而非正式权力来驱动变革。HR专业人员可以通过利用他们对人力动态的深入理解、战略思维和沟通技巧,成为关键的影响者。文章列出了HR需要掌握的八项核心能力,包括战略影响力、讲故事的能力、公共演讲、协作影响力、外交、信息传递、冲突解决和执行力。
通过发展这些技能,HR可以有效地驾驭变革,激励行动,并将人员战略与业务目标对齐。
变革不仅是不可避免的,而且是推动个人和组织成长与创新的动力。在工作中,变革可以推动一个组织向前发展并提升其水平,也可以摧毁它(包括其中的员工)。组织如何应对变革?是通过纯粹的角色权威?还是通过高层领导的强制命令?亦或是通过那些没有“正式权威”的人以更微妙的方式来推动和引导变革的方向?
在大多数组织中,人力资源(HR)没有像其他部门那样拥有正式的权力或影响力。通常,HR人员不足,资源匮乏。即使在过去几年中人力资源职能快速发展,HR在工作中仍在努力建立其战略价值。对于HR来说,推动或引导变革的力量不是正式的权力或“蛮力”,而是战略影响力(strategic influence)。
本质上,战略影响力不是关于权威,而是关于灵感、创新以及对工作中人类元素的深刻理解。讽刺的是,一些拥有强大职位的领导者除了他们头衔赋予的权力外,没有任何影响力。相反,一些在工作中没有头衔的普通人,却是通过利用他们的影响力来推动和引导变革的真正变革者。
有时HR确实有正式的权力,但更多时候没有。这就是为什么它必须更多地依赖影响力而不是正式的权威。
组织中的影响者 组织中的影响者是变革的催化剂,是能够理解业务战略与人类动态之间联系的愿景者。不同于源自层级权力的传统影响力,组织中的影响者的影响力来自于他们连接、理解和激励人的能力。
组织中的影响者具有一些基本特质,包括:
战略思考:看到更大的图景,并将努力与整体组织目标对齐。
以同理心领导:理解并重视他人的观点和需求。
有效沟通:通过清晰和信念表达想法并激励行动。
适应力强:拥抱变革并帮助他人应对变革。
用数据决策:利用数据洞察来决策和制定策略。
与他人合作并建立伙伴关系:建立伙伴关系并在组织各个层面促进团队合作。
创新:不断寻找和实施创造性的解决方案。
有韧性:在面对挫折时保持专注和积极。
伦理和诚信:坚持诚信并促进信任和尊重的文化。
让HR成为组织影响者的8种方式 以下是HR可以用来成为组织影响者的八种方法:
1 - 战略影响力 战略影响力是关于利用HR在人员领导和业务管理方面的独特见解来推动业务策略,确保人员与业务目标对齐并推动其前进。这个概念体现了HR领导者不仅是参与者,而且是董事会中的关键策略家,倡导促进组织成长和员工满意度的政策和实践。 这些是需要掌握的五项能力:
制定并执行与组织领导力对齐的有影响力的HR策略。
通过战略性HR举措影响高层管理和决策。
在整个组织中建立战略伙伴关系以增强HR的影响力。
使用HR洞察分析和解决复杂的组织挑战。
指导和发展HR团队以增强战略思维能力。
2 - 讲故事 讲故事是HR专业人士的一个强大工具,使他们能够将组织的价值观、文化和目标联系起来形成引人入胜的叙述。这种方法不仅增强了沟通,还建立了情感连接,使HR举措更易于理解和影响深远。通过讲故事,HR可以有效地倡导变革,庆祝成功,并阐明业务决策中的人性化一面,将抽象概念转化为在整个组织中产生共鸣的有意义的故事。 这些是需要掌握的五项能力:
创作引人入胜的叙述以传达HR的愿景和价值观。
使用有说服力的讲故事技巧吸引多样化的受众。
利用讲故事推动组织变革。
根据不同的沟通媒介调整讲故事的风格。
使用叙事智能增强HR的说服力。
3 - 出色的公众演讲 出色的公众演讲使HR领导者能够以权威和激情进行沟通,影响并激励他人。出色的公众演讲不仅仅是大声说话或喋喋不休,而是关于自信、同理心和理解。这项技能对于倡导HR举措、分享洞察和引导塑造组织未来的讨论至关重要。精通的公众演讲使HR领导者成为能够吸引听众的强大演说者,无论是在小型团队会议还是大型企业聚会上,都能有效传达HR的战略价值。 这些是需要掌握的五项能力:
掌握适用于HR背景的公众演讲技巧。
通过有效的演讲技巧吸引和激励受众。
利用公众演讲作为HR倡导和影响的工具。
根据不同类型的受众和组织层级调整演讲内容。
制作能够引起利益相关者共鸣的引人入胜的演讲内容。
4 - 协作影响力 协作影响力侧重于HR建立和维护推动组织成功的战略业务伙伴关系的能力。它突显了HR在弥合部门间差距、促进跨职能团队合作以及将HR策略与更广泛的业务目标对齐方面的作用。通过协作,HR可以打破孤岛,促进团结,并确保人员策略是实现公司目标的重要组成部分。 这些是需要掌握的五项能力:
建立和维持支持HR目标的有影响力的业务伙伴关系。
促进HR与其他业务单位之间的合作。
利用人际交往技能增强HR的协作影响力。
协商并对齐HR策略与更广泛的业务目标。
培养支持和倡导HR举措的盟友网络。
5 - 外交技巧 HR的外交技巧是关于以策略性智慧和策略性技巧驾驭复杂的组织政治网络。它涉及以尊重不同观点的方式倡导HR政策和举措,同时推动进步性变革。HR外交官善于建立共识、管理冲突,并将HR定位为组织决策中的中立但有影响力的参与者,确保在业务策略中始终考虑人员因素。 这些是需要掌握的五项能力:
利用外交技巧驾驭和影响组织政治。
使用策略性沟通技巧倡导HR驱动的变革。
通过外交解决复杂的组织问题。
在不同利益相关者群体中建立共识。
在所有HR举措中以诚信和伦理领导。
6 - 信息掌控 HR的信息掌控是关于编写和传达清晰表述HR策略价值和影响的信息。它是将沟通调整到不同受众的能力,确保清晰、参与和支持HR举措。通过有效的信息传达,HR专业人士可以解密HR政策,倡导组织变革,并巩固HR在组织内作为关键沟通者的角色。 这些是需要掌握的五项能力:
制定清晰有影响力的HR举措沟通策略。
调整HR信息以引起不同组织受众的共鸣。
以易于理解的方式传达复杂的HR概念。
有效利用各种沟通渠道传递HR信息。
测量和分析HR沟通策略的影响。
7 - 冲突解决和达成共识 冲突解决和达成共识在维护和谐和高效的工作环境中至关重要。这个概念围绕HR调解争议、促进谈判和培养合作与相互尊重环境的能力。通过为HR专业人士配备解决冲突的技能,组织可以确保更顺畅的运营、增强的团队合作以及一个重视建设性对话而非对抗的文化。 这些是需要掌握的五项能力:
有效调解和解决工作场所冲突。
促进合作和建设性的谈判过程。
在冲突各方之间建立共识以实现组织和谐。
实施预防和管理冲突的主动策略。
培训和指导团队冲突解决和达成共识的技能。
8 - 领导风范 HR影响者的领导风范和领导力是关于体现那些在组织各个层面上赢得尊重和激发信心的品质。这包括培养一种真实、权威和平易近人的领导风格,使HR领导者能够有效地倡导战略举措并以身作则。凭借强大的领导风范,HR专业人士可以更有效地影响结果、推动战略决策,并倡导以人为本的业务方法。 这些是需要掌握的五项能力:
培养权威且真实的领导风格。
提升高层沟通技巧。
建立战略关系。
以自信和愿景领导。
通过变革性领导实践激励团队和个人。
英文原来来自:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-hr-can-become-organizational-influencer-hacking-hr-0xnlc/
作者:Hacking HR
Change is not just inevitable, but the driving force behind personal and organizational growth and innovation.
At work, change can either propel an organization forward and lift it up, or break it (including its people).
How can organizations navigate change? Is it through pure role-based authority? Is it through the brute force of senior leadership mandates? Or is there a more subtle way in which people, without “formal authority”, may drive and even steer the direction of change?
In most organizations, Human Resources (HR) does not have the formal authority or power that some of its counterparts have. Generally, HR is understaffed and under-resourced. And, even with the rapid advancement of the people function in the past few years, HR is still on the road to building its strategic value at work.
For HR, it is not formal authority or “brute force” that drives or steers change, it is the power of strategic influence.
In essence, strategic influence is not about authority, but inspiration, innovation, and a deep understanding of the human element at work.
Ironically, some leaders with a powerful position have no influence other than that given to them by their titles. In contrast, some ordinary people at work, without a title, are real change makers with potent network effects at work given how they leverage their influence to drive and steer change.
Sometimes HR does have the formal authority, but often it does not. That’s why it has to rely more on the power of influence than on the power of formal authority.
Organizational Influencers
An organizational influencer is a catalyst for change, a visionary who understands the connection business strategy and human dynamics. Unlike traditional notions of influence that stem from hierarchical power, organizational influencers derive their impact from their ability to connect, understand, and inspire people.
An organizational influencer has some foundational attributes, including:
Thinking strategically: Sees the bigger picture and aligns efforts with overarching organizational goals.
Leading with empathy: Understands and values the perspectives and needs of others.
Communicating effectively: Articulates ideas and inspires action through clarity and conviction.
Adapting: Embraces change and helps others navigate through it.
Informing decisions with data: Leverages insights from data to inform decisions and strategies.
Collaborating with others and building partnerships: Builds partnerships and fosters teamwork across all levels of the organization.
Innovating: Constantly seeks and implements creative solutions to challenges.
Being resilient: Maintains focus and positivity in the face of setbacks.
Behaving ethically and with integrity: Upholds integrity and promotes a culture of trust and respect.
8 Ways for HR to Becomes an Organizational Influencer
These are nine ways HR can use to become an organizational influencer.
1 - Strategic Influence
Strategic influence is about leveraging HR's unique insights into people leadership and business management to drive business strategies, ensuring that people align with and propels business objectives forward. This concept embodies the idea that HR leaders are not just participants but key strategists in the boardroom, advocating for policies and practices that foster both organizational growth and employee satisfaction.
These are five competencies to master:
Develop and execute impactful HR strategies aligned with organizational leadership.
Influence top-level management and decision-making through strategic HR initiatives.
Foster strategic partnerships across the organization to enhance HR's influence.
Analyze and address complex organizational challenges using HR insights.
Mentor and develop HR teams to strengthen strategic thinking skills.
2 - Storytelling
Storytelling is a powerful tool for HR professionals, enabling them to connect the dots between organization's values, culture, and goals into compelling narratives. This approach not only enhances communication but also builds emotional connections, making HR initiatives more relatable and impactful. Through storytelling, HR can effectively champion change, celebrate successes, and articulate the human side of business decisions, transforming abstract concepts into meaningful stories that resonate across the organization.
These are five competencies to master:
Craft compelling narratives to communicate HR vision and values.
Engage diverse audiences with persuasive storytelling techniques.
Leverage storytelling to drive organizational change.
Adapt storytelling styles to fit various communication mediums.
Use narrative intelligence to enhance HR's persuasive power.
3 - Public Speaking Excellence
Public speaking excellence empowers HR leaders to communicate with authority and passion, influencing and inspiring others at work. People speaking excellence is not about being loud or never shutting up, but about confidence, empathy and understanding. This skill is crucial for advocating HR initiatives, sharing insights, and leading discussions that shape the organization's future. Masterful public speaking turns HR leaders into powerful orators who can captivate their listeners, whether in small team meetings or large corporate gatherings, effectively conveying the strategic value of HR.
These are five competencies to master:
Master public speaking skills tailored for HR contexts.
Engage and motivate audiences through effective speech delivery techniques.
Utilize public speaking as a tool for HR advocacy and influence.
Adapt speeches to various audience types and organizational levels.
Develop compelling presentation content that resonates with stakeholders.
4 - Collaborative Influence
Collaborative influence focuses on HR’s capacity to forge and maintain strategic business partnerships that drive organizational success. It highlights HR’s role in bridging gaps between departments, facilitating cross-functional teams, and aligning HR strategies with broader business objectives. Through collaboration, HR can dismantle silos, encourage unity, and ensure that people strategies are integral to achieving corporate goals.
These are five competencies to master:
Build and sustain influential business partnerships that support HR goals.
Facilitate collaboration between HR and other business units.
Leverage interpersonal skills to enhance HR’s collaborative impact.
Negotiate and align HR strategies with broader business objectives.
Cultivate a network of allies to support and advocate for HR initiatives.
5 - Diplomacy
HR diplomacy is about navigating the complex web of organizational politics with tact and strategic acumen. It involves advocating for HR policies and initiatives in a way that respects differing viewpoints while pushing for progressive change. HR diplomats are adept at building consensus, managing conflicts, and positioning HR as a neutral yet influential player in organizational decisions, ensuring that the people aspect is always considered in business strategies.
These are five competencies to master:
Utilize diplomacy to navigate and influence organizational politics.
Advocate for HR-driven change using tactful and strategic communication.
Resolve complex organizational issues with diplomatic problem-solving.
Build consensus among diverse stakeholder groups.
Lead with integrity and ethical considerations in all HR initiatives.
6 - Message Mastery
Message mastery in HR is about crafting and delivering messages that clearly articulate the value and impact of HR strategies. It’s the ability to tailor communication to diverse audiences, ensuring clarity, engagement, and support for HR initiatives. Through effective messaging, HR professionals can demystify HR policies, champion organizational change, and solidify HR’s role as a key communicator within the organization.
These are five competencies to master:
Develop clear and impactful communication strategies for HR initiatives.
Tailor HR messaging to resonate with different organizational audiences.
Communicate complex HR concepts in an accessible manner.
Utilize various communication channels effectively for HR messaging.
Measure and analyze the impact of HR communication strategies.
7 - Conflict Resolution and Agreement Building
Conflict resolution and agreement building are fundamental in maintaining a harmonious and productive workplace. This concept revolves around HR's ability to mediate disputes, facilitate negotiations, and foster an environment of cooperation and mutual respect. By equipping HR professionals with the skills to navigate and resolve conflicts, organizations can ensure smoother operations, enhanced teamwork, and a culture that values constructive dialogue over confrontation.
These are five competencies to master:
Mediate and resolve workplace conflicts effectively.
Facilitate collaborative and constructive negotiation processes.
Build consensus among conflicting parties to achieve organizational harmony.
Implement proactive strategies to prevent and manage conflicts.
Train and guide teams in conflict resolution and agreement-building skills.
8 - Executive Presence
Executive presence and leadership for HR influencers are about embodying the qualities that command respect and inspire confidence at all levels of the organization. This includes cultivating a leadership style that is authentic, authoritative, and approachable, enabling HR leaders to effectively advocate for strategic initiatives and lead by example. With a strong executive presence, HR professionals can more effectively influence outcomes, drive strategic decisions, and champion a people-centric approach to business.
These are five competencies to master:
Cultivate an authoritative and authentic leadership style.
Enhance executive communication skills.
Build strategic relationships.
Lead with confidence and vision.
Inspire teams and individuals with transformative leadership practices.
Organizational Growth
2024年06月20日
Organizational Growth
推荐:The best HR & People Analytics articles of March 2024024年3月,David Green带领我们深入了解了人力资源和人力分析的最新趋势。在欧洲和美国的几场关键活动中,他强调了人力分析在提升员工体验、AI在工作场所的角色、以及四天工作周趋势的增长中的转型作用。此外,Culture Amp对Orgnostic的收购和在Culture First Leaders Forum上的见解,突出了培养适宜的组织文化对于未来工作的战略重要性。Green的观点强调了HR需要采用数据驱动策略,以实现有效的劳动力规划、技能发展和组织增长。
2024 HR TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS
KATE BRAVERY, JOANA SILVA, AND JENS PETERSON - Workforce 2.0: Unlocking human potential in a machine-augmented world – Mercer Global Talent Trends 2024
The world of work is in full metamorphosis, forever changed by the seismic shifts of the past few years and accelerated by the imminent human-machine teaming revolution. Just as organizations were settling into a new normal — with a focus on hybrid working, comprehensive health and well-being, digitalization, and upskilling — Generative AI (Gen AI) burst onto the scene.
Those are the opening words from the Mercer Global Talent Trends 2024 report, which has recently been published. As ever, the study, which is based on a survey of more than 12,000 executives, HR leaders, employees, and investors, and is authored by Kate Bravery Joana Silva and Jens Peterson is an absolute must-read. The study highlights a disconnect between what HR is prioritising for the 2024 people agenda and the initiatives that executives believe will have the most impact on business growth (see FIG 1). The study highlights four priorities that firms that outpace their competitors are focusing on: (1) Driving human-centric productivity. (2) Anchoring to trust and equity. (3) Boosting the corporate immune system. (4) Cultivating a digital-first culture. My tip to enjoy the study: find a couple of hours, make yourself a cup of tea and have a pen and paper to hand.
FIG 1: HR priorities for the 2024 people agenda (Source: Mercer Global Talent Trends 2024)
FIG 2: Drivers and drainers of employee productivity(Source: Mercer Global Talent Trends 2024)
HYBRID, GENERATIVE AI AND THE FUTURE OF WORK
BRIAN ELLIOTT - Return-to-Office Mandates: How to Lose Your Best Performers
There is mounting evidence that mandates don’t improve financial performance. Instead, they damage employee engagement and increase attrition, especially among high-performing employees and particularly those with caregiving responsibilities.
That’s according to Brian Elliott in his latest column in MIT Sloan Management Review, which highlights that the workers most likely to be turned off by return-to-office mandates are the company’s highest performers. Elliott highlights the link between factors such as pressure from investors and the CEO echo chamber with RTO pronouncements, as well as how only one in three executives believe that RTO has had even a slight impact on productivity. He recommends instead focusing on productivity rather than physical presence (see FIG 3) and how this can inspire a boom loop in engagement as opposed to a doom loop in trust. Finally, Elliott presents findings from the Future Forum and i4CP, highlighting the negative impact of RTO mandates, before offering guidance on how to build an outcomes-driven organisation: “The bottom line is that when trust is balanced with accountability, people and organizations will thrive.”
FIG 3: Focus on Productivity, Not Physical Presence (Sources: Future Forum, Centre for Transformative Work Design, and Slack)
AARON DE SMET, SANDRA DURTH, BRYAN HANCOCK, MARINO MUGAYAR-BALDOCCHI, AND ANGELIKA REICH - The human side of generative AI: Creating a path to productivity
As teams start using gen AI to help free up their capacity, the middle manager’s job will evolve to managing both people and the use of this technology to enhance their output.
A fascinating new study from McKinsey, which provides analysis on workers who are at the forefront of gen AI usage (which as FIG 4 shows is dominated by those in non-technical roles) and dives into the job factors and skills these workers say they need. The authors emphasise how firms can enhance productivity by crafting jobs that put people before tech – rather than the other way around. They conclude that companies that set a people-centric talent strategy will give themselves a competitive edge as more workers and jobs are affected by the changes gen AI brings. The article is rich with data and powerful visualisations – kudos to the authors: Aaron De Smet Sandra Durth Bryan Hancock Marino Mugayar-Baldocchi and Angelika Reich ).
FIG 4: Workers who use generative AI as part of their jobs comprise a much larger group than those who hold traditionally technical roles (Source: McKinsey)
PETER CAPPELLI, PRASANNA (SONNY) TAMBE, AND VALERY YAKUBOVICH - Will Large Language Models Really Change How Work Is Done?
LLMs are much more complicated to use effectively in an organizational context than is typically acknowledged, and they have yet to demonstrate that they can satisfactorily perform all of the tasks that knowledge workers execute in any given job.
In their article, Peter Cappelli Prasanna Tambe and Valery Yakubovich look at the use and challenges of integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) in organisations, and present practical recommendations on how to work with LLMs successfully. The five challenges outlined in the article are: (1) The Knowledge Capture Problem. (2) The Output Verification Problem. (3) The Output Adjudication Problem. (4) The Cost-Benefit Problem. (5) The Job Transformation Problem – How will LLMs work with workers? Guidance includes developing and circulating standards for the use of LLMs in organisations, establishing a central office to produce important LLM output, and providing training to users.
NICK BLOOM – Why WFH is a win-win-win | WFH research update (March 2024)
Nick Bloom’s recent post on LinkedIn highlighting his research on why remote working is a win for firms (due to increased productivity of $20,000 a year for each remote day a week), employees, and society is extremely compelling. I also recommend reading Nick’s latest monthly data for March, which includes numerous insights such as that workers in their 50s and 60s are fully onsite more often than younger workers. For more from Nick, please tune in to his discussion with me on the Digital HR Leaders podcast: Unmasking Common Myths Around Remote Work.
FIG 5: Workers in their 50s and 60s are fully onsite more often than younger workers (Source: WFH Research)
PEOPLE ANALYTICS
PIETRO MAZZOLENI - Transforming HR: How IBM measures the success of its people data platform investments
For those of you who haven’t already subscribed to Pietro Mazzoleni’s People Data Platform newsletter, where he unpacks insights from transforming IBM's internal data platform for people analytics, I highly recommend you do. In this edition, Pietro walks through the three tiers of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) IBM uses to evaluate investments in Workforce 360, its people data platform (see FIG 6). Watch out for an upcoming episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, where I discuss with CHRO Nickle LaMoreaux how IBM is augmenting HR programs with AI. The episode will air from April 9.
FIG 6: Three tiers of KPIs to evaluate investments in a people data platform (Source: Pietro Mazzoleni)
NAOMI VERGHESE - Influencing C-Suite and Board Decisions with People Analytics Insights
Naomi Verghese shares key learnings from the recent Peer Meeting for member companies of the Insight222 People Analytics Program, hosted by HSBC in their global headquarters in London. The Peer Meeting, which was attended by over 60 people analytics leaders and practitioners from more than 40 companies focused on two of the key findings from the Insight222 People Analytics Trends study for 2023: influencing senior stakeholders and measuring value. In her article, Naomi covers four topics: (1) how to implement a people analytics operating model that drives business outcomes (based on insights shared at the Peer Meeting by Rob Etheridge and Bec Aoude). (2) how to use AI to democratise insights from people data, using an example of work Andrew Elston has led at HSBC. (3) how Microsoft’s employee listening ecosystem (see FIG 7) helped the firm identify the moments that matter for in-person collaboration (insights from a session led by Dawn Klinghoffer), and (4) how to influence the board of directors, with insights from Justine Thompson. If you would like to learn more about our People Analytics Program, contact us today.
FIG 7: Microsoft’s employee listening ecosystem (Source: Dawn Klinghoffer, Microsoft)
BRENT DYKES - The Future Of Data Storytelling Is Augmented, Not Automated
Brent Dykes continues his rich vein of writing with an article exploring whether AI tools should be used to automate data storytelling. He provides reasons why data storytelling can’t or shouldn’t be automated including for reasons of oversimplification, transparency and trust, and the fact that storytelling is essentially a human skill. Instead, Brent advocates that the path forward should be augmented data storytelling, and lays out a powerful illustration of how this would work (see FIG 8)
The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.
FIG 8: Data storytelling comparisons: Humans vs. AI (Source: Brent Dykes)
HALLIE BREGMAN – Where should People Analytics sit in an Organisation? Part 1 & Part 2 | WILLIS JENSEN – Can Data Cleaning be Automated? | COLE NAPPER - Universal Models & People Analytics | ALEXANDER LOCHER - How to harness the value of people data and operational HR insights | ANGELA LE MATHON, STACIA GARR, AND DANI JOHNSON - Generating Value from People Data
In recent editions of the Data Driven HR Monthly, I’ve been featuring a collection of articles by current and recent people analytics leaders. These act as a spur and inspiration to the field. Five are highlighted here. (1) If you don’t already follow Hallie Bregman, PhD on LinkedIn, you really should. Hallie regularly publishes thoughtful and insightful posts on topics important to the field. The two I’ve included here look at the pros and cons of situating people analytics in or outside HR. (2) Willis Jensen analyses whether AI will reduce the amount of data cleaning undertaken by people analysts given that much of this work involves judgement without hard, fast or consistent rules. (3) Cole Napper, who I’m looking forward to co-chairing People Analytics World with in London in April – also with Michael M. Moon, PhD – explains how many of the models we use in people analytics are borrowed from other disciplines. (4) Alexander S. Locher highlights some of the current trends in people analytics (see FIG 9) and offers guidance on how to harness value from your people data. (5) Angela LE MATHON, VP People Data and Analytics, shares how GSK generates value with their people data, how they’re using AI to gather information, and how skills verification ties in with Stacia Sherman Garr and Dani Johnson of RedThread Research.
FIG 9: Current trends in people analytics (Source: Alexander Locher, EY)
THE EVOLUTION OF HR, LEARNING, AND DATA DRIVEN CULTURE
JO IWASAKI, KAREN EDELMAN, AND YASMINE CHAHED - Time to rethink talent in the boardroom
Just over a third of board and c-level executives believe their workforce related discussions are adequate to meet their organisation’s needs. That’s the standout finding from a new global survey by Jo Iwasaki Karen Edelman and Dr Yasmine Chahed for Deloitte of 500 board members and C-suite executives in more than 50 countries on corporate governance and talent. The three top insights from the study were: (1) Many boards could be focusing more on talent-related issues. (2) Most organisations are just starting to think about their AI strategies. (3) Amplifying the talent experience will require boards to adopt a broader perspective.
FIG 10: Workplace related topics that are top board priorities (Source: Deloitte)
DAVE ULRICH - Pre-flections on GenAI and HR: Where to Go and How to Get There
GenAI will help shape HR’s future by offering both information symmetry to synthesize and optimize the past and present and information asymmetry to create and guide the future.
Dave Ulrich offers some initial reflections on what the journey could look like for applying GenAI to HR work, as well as some possible actions to drive progress (see example in FIG 11 for ‘Talent’). Dave also highlights four important considerations to manage the risk and realise the opportunity of GenAI in HR. (1) Who should champion, sponsor, participate in, and be accountable for this journey? (2) What individual skills and organisation capabilities will be required to make GenAI in HR happen? (3) What will be the regulatory and legal policies and risks associated with the effort? (4) What metrics of value-added GenAI for HR will be most useful and tracked?
FIG 11: Examples of GenAI/HR initiatives in the Talent domain (Source: Dave Ulrich)
HEIN KNAPPEN - How HR Adds to Enterprise Value
Hein J.M. Knaapen, a former chief people officer himself, shares his perspectives on the crucial role HR plays in driving business value, and offers practical advice to CHROs on how to make this a reality. Hein highlights the four people priorities that connect to value: (1) Performance management, (2) Succession management, (3) Leadership development, and (4) Capability building, providing guidance on each.
Value creation should be the focus. Nothing else. And only four people priorities connect to value: performance management, succession management, leadership development and capability building.
WORKFORCE PLANNING, ORG DESIGN, AND SKILLS-BASED ORGANISATIONS
STEFAN HIERL - Identifying the AI Potential in Your Organization: A Strategic Approach
Leveraging Generative AI to assess the AI Potential in a workforce helps businesses go beyond just talking about how AI might change jobs.
As Stefan Hierl astutely observes in his excellent article, in the rush to jump on the AI bandwagon, many companies fall into the trap of overlooking a critical preliminary step: conducting a systematic evaluation of where AI can deliver transformative value. In his article, Stefan outlines a five-step approach to quantify the potential of AI to support organisations identify opportunities for automating and augmenting work activities. The five steps (see FIG 12), which Stefan outlines in detail are: (1) Decomposing roles by breaking down each role into its main activities and respective time shares. (2) AI potential assessment – estimating the potential of AI at the activity level. (3) Expert validation – cross-verifying the generative AI findings with domain experts. (4) Identify high-value areas – creating an overview where AI can significantly enhance workforce productivity (see example in FIG 13). (5) Use case development – exploring specific AI applications to capitalise on identified potential.
FIG 12: Five steps to perform an activity based AI potential assessment (Source: Stefan Hierl)
FIG 13: AI potential by role – example (Source: Stefan Hierl)
MATT SIGELMAN, JOSEPH FULLER, AND ALEX MARTIN - Skills-Based Hiring: The Long Road from Pronouncements to Practice
For all its fanfare, the increased opportunity promised by Skills- Based Hiring was borne out in not even 1 in 700 hires last year (2023).
This is one of the standout findings from a new study by Matt Sigelman and Alex Martin of The Burning Glass Institute and Joseph Fuller from Harvard Business School. Their analysis reveals three categories of firms, who have publicly stated they have removed degree requirements in hiring, based on their actual hiring outcomes: (1) Skills-based hiring leaders (e.g. Cigna) – who have increased their share of non-degree hires in the roles analysed by nearly 20%. (2) In name only (e.g. Bank of America) – 45% of firms studied have made the shift in name only with no meaningful difference in actual skills-based hiring. (3) Backsliders e.g. Uber) – 20% of the firms analysed had made short-term gains by dropping degree requirements, but the change doesn’t stick. The report also highlights the roles best positioned for skills-based hiring (see FIG 14).
FIG 14: The roles best positioned for skills-based hiring (Source: Sigelman et al)
JORDAN PETTMAN - How to Accelerate the Impact of Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) through the Organisation Strategy Ecosystem
Jordan Pettman, one of my colleagues at Insight222, knows a thing or two about workforce planning. In his recent article for myHRfuture, Jordan explores how strategic design can be brought to life through an integrated ecosystem (see FIG 15) encompassing four components: (1) Organisation strategy, (2) Operating model, (3) Organisation design and strategic workforce planning, and (4) Organisation effectiveness.
FIG 15: The Organisation Strategy Ecosystem (Source: Jordan Pettman, Insight222)
EMPLOYEE LISTENING, EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE, AND EMPLOYEE WELLBEING
JACQUELINE BRASSEY, LARS HARTENSTEIN, BARBARA JEFFERY, AND PATRICK SIMON – Working nine to thrive
One of the few positives to emerge through and since the pandemic has been a stronger focus on employee health and wellbeing. According to new research by Jacqui Brassey, PhD, MA, MAfN (née Schouten) Lars Hartenstein Barbara Jeffery and Dr. Patrick Simon, on behalf of the McKinsey Health Institute, improving employee health and wellbeing doesn’t just benefit workers and organisations, it could generate between $3.7 to $11.7 trillion in global economic value (see FIG 16). Their article focuses on six drivers of health that employers can influence - social interaction, mindsets and beliefs, productive activity, stress, economic security, and sleep – and provides guidance on how organisations can move the dial on each.
FIG 16: Improving global employee health and wellbeing could create up to $11.7 trillion in economic value (Source: McKinsey Health Institute)
LEADERSHIP, CULTURE AND LEARNING
LINKEDIN LEARNING – Workplace Learning Report 2024: L&D powers the AI future
As AI reshapes how people learn, work, and chart their careers, L&D sits at the center of organizational agility, delivering business innovation and critical skills.
Aligning learning programs to business goals emerges as the top L&D focus area for 2024 in LinkedIn Learning’s annual report on the L&D field, which is based on analysis of LinkedIn behavioural data and focus interviews with L&D professionals around the globe. The report is structured into three chapters: (1) The State of L&D (the study finds that a strong learning culture derives retention, mobility, and promotion. – see FIG 17), (2) Skills agility (the study finds that only 33% of organisations have internal mobility programs), and (3) How L&D succeeds) with priorities #1 and #2 being to lean into analytics and build the right metrics – see FIG 18). The report features contributions from the likes of: Amanda Nolen (who asks: “What if Chief Learning Officers become Chief Skills Officers”), Chris Louie Geraldine Murphy Terri Horton, EdD, MBA, MA, SHRM-CP, PHR Alexandra Halem Ekpedeme "Pamay" M. Bassey Shruti Bharadwaj and Dani Johnson.
FIG 17: Business outcomes and learning culture (Source: LinkedIn Learning)
FIG 18: How L&D tracks business impact (Source: LinkedIn Learning)
AYSE KARAEVLI AND SERDEN ÖZCAN - Make Better Allies of Your Workforce
When the board takes the recommendations of employee advisory groups seriously and incorporates them into decisions, employees become more empowered, and their perspectives become embedded into their company’s long-term objectives.
In their article for MIT Sloan Management Review, Ayse Karaevli and Serden Ozcan present findings from their interviews with board directors, CEOs, CFOs, and employee representatives to understand how to manage conflict and engage workers. From their analysis, Ayse and Serden identified three strategies effective leaders use to include employees (see FIG 19): (1) Identify mutual goals and interests, (2) Foster inclusive decision processes, and (3) Give employees strategic responsibilities. The article then describes each of these in detail with examples from the likes of ThyssenKrupp, Allianz, Siemens, and Bayer before highlighting the importance of employee advisory groups, engagement with board members and the role of committees and task forces to imbue governance and participation.
FIG 19: Three Strategies to Avert Workforce Controversies (Source: Ayse Karaevli and Serden Özcan)
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING
SUNDIATU DIXON-FYLE, MASSIMO GIORDANO, TANIA HOLT, TUNDE OLANREWAJU, DARA OLUFON, AND SANDRA SANCIER-SULTAN - Ethnocultural minorities in Europe: A potential triple win
Greater inclusion of ethnocultural minorities could fill talent gaps and spur company growth, increase economic empowerment of these groups, and generate benefits for the economy and broader society.
Despite the anti-immigration policies of many current European governments (that includes you, Rishi Sunak), stagnant economies, tight labour markets, and shrinking working populations mean that immigration is key to unlocking economic growth. In their superb analysis for McKinsey, Sundiatu Dixon-Fyle Massimo Giordano Tania Zulu Holt Tunde Olanrewaju Dara Olufon and Sandra Sancier-Sultan provide data insights on what they classify as ethnocultural minorities in Europe, and their (mostly challenging) experiences. The authors also provide guidance for companies on ethnocultural minority employee inclusion across five dimensions (see FIG 20).
FIG 20: Companies can consider ethnocultural minority employee inclusion across five dimensions (Source: McKinsey)
HR TECH VOICES
Much of the innovation in the field continues to be driven by the vendor community, and I’ve picked out a few resources from March that I recommend readers delve into:
ANDREA DERLER, PETER BAMBERGER, MANDA WINLAW, AND CUTHBERT CHOW - When New Hires Get Paid More, Top Performers Resign First - To attract talent to the organisation, employers often pay new hires more than they pay equivalent workers in the same role. Analysis by the Visier Inc. team of Andrea Derler, Ph.D. Peter Bamberger Manda Winlaw and Cuthbert Chow shows that in these times of increasing pay transparency, this strategy risks your high-performers resigning.
ANDREW PITTS AND CHAD MITCHELL - Exploring a few largely untapped sources of data for passive Organizational Network Analysis – This article by Andrew Pitts and Chad Mitchell of Polinode looks at a number of data sources that are typically overlooked for ONA including: 360 reviews, peer to peer recognition tools, opportunity marketplaces, and talent intelligence data.
FRANCISCO MARIN - Key Considerations for Defining the Scope of an ONA Pilot – Francisco Marin of Cognitive Talent Solutions provides a helpful guide to defining the scope of an ONA pilot including tips on clarifying the objective, data privacy and securing executive sponsorship.
HAKKI OZDENOREN AND JOHN BOUDREAU – Is the Future of Work Lost in Translation – John Boudreau joins forces with Hakki Ozdenoren of Revelio Labs to conduct analysis on resumes and jobs mentioning the ‘future of work’, with HR featuring prominently (see FIG 21).
FIG 21: A diverse set of roles contribute to the Future of Work (Source: Revelio Labs)
PODCASTS OF THE MONTH
In another month of high-quality podcasts, I’ve selected five gems for your aural pleasure: (you can also check out the latest episodes of the Digital HR Leaders Podcast – see ‘From My Desk’ below):
JAMIL ZAKI, BRYAN HANCOCK, BROOKE WEDDLE, AND LUCIA RAHILLY - It’s cool to be kind: The value of empathy at work – In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Jamil Zaki (author of The War for Kindness) joins Bryan Hancock Brooke Weddle and Lucia Rahilly to make the case for investing in empathic behaviour—for reasons including higher productivity, a stronger workplace culture, and better organisational health—as well as to discuss how to go about cultivating kindness at work.
CAL NEWPORT AND ADAM GRANT – How to be productive without burning out – Cal Newport discusses insights from his new book, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, with Adam Grant on WorkLife. They dig into the data on productivity, debate the benefits and drawbacks of doing fewer things (and spending less time on email and social media), and discuss individual habits and organisational practices for preventing burnout and promoting worthwhile work.
JOSH BERSIN - Why “Talent Density” Is So Critical In Business Today – Fresh from discussing his Dynamic Organizations research at Gloat Live, Josh Bersin discusses why ‘Talent Density’ is becoming one of the key strategies for growth.
DONNA MORRIS AND LARS SCHMIDT - Inside Walmart’s Bold Strategy to Transform Retail Work – Walmart’s chief people officer, Donna Morris, joins Lars Schmidt on his Redefining Work podcast to discuss how Walmart is not just navigating but leading the revolution in workplace technology—with people firmly at its core. This was an especially insightful listen as only two days before I had seen Marty Autrey speaking at the Wharton People Analytics conference on how Walmart provides data-based nudges to its store managers to help them drive business outcomes and enhance employee experience.
RYAN HAMMOND, COLE NAPPER AND SCOTT HINES - Turnover Prediction, ML Ethics, & The HiQ Story – Ryan Hammond shares the epic story of HiQ Labs with Directionally Correct hosts Cole Napper and Scott Hines, PhD, as well as insights from his practitioner and academic backgrounds including how to ethically use internal and external data to do turnover prediction.
VIDEO OF THE MONTH
TANUJ KAPILASHRAMI, MICHAEL FRACCARO, TAMLA OATES-FARNEY, AND DAVID GREEN – CHRO Panel: Delivering against the transformation imperative
March’s Video of the Month proved to be a highlight for me as it features me moderating the CHRO Panel at the recent Gloat Live event in New York. The panel was comprised of Tanuj Kapilashrami Michael Fraccaro and Tamla Oates-Forney, and featured discussion on the increasingly pivotal role of the CHRO in business transformation, lessons learnt and successes from transitioning to a skills-based organisation, and how technology can enable a culture of inclusivity and opportunity.
BOOKS OF THE MONTH
With a lot of travelling back and forth from the US in March, I found time to dig into two new books, which I recommend to readers of this newsletter:
MARC SOKOL AND BEVERLY TARULLI – Strategic Workforce Planning: Best Practices and Emerging Directions
Strategic workforce planning – the process of looking forward, assessing how to compete and win in your chosen market or business arena, and linking those insights to your existing and potential future workforce – is core to any institution that aspires to sustain itself over time.
Those are the opening words of Marc Sokol and Beverly Tarulli, Ph.D., the editors of an indispensable new volume of SIOP’s Professional Practice Series. It provides an overview of SWP, covering best practices, methodologies and new directions in the field as well as featuring contributions and case studies from a stellar list of contributors. These include: Sheri Feinzig Alexis Fink Adam Gibson Brian Heger Adam McKinnon, PhD. Kanella Salapatas and Dave Ulrich. Grab yourself a copy!
SALVATORE V. FALLETTA – Creepy Analytics: Avoid Crossing the Line and Establish Ethical HR Analytics for Smarter Workforce Decisions
In Creepy Analytics, Dr. Salvatore Falletta provides a thoughtful approach to HR Analytics that is both evidence-based and ethical – ensuring that organisations get the insights they need while respecting employee privacy. The book is built around the author’s seven-step HR Analytics Cycle (see FIG 22) and is well-researched. Thanks to Salvatore too for referencing Excellence in People Analytics several times, particularly in relation to the guidance Jonathan Ferrar and I offer around governance and the development of an ethics charter. As Alec Levenson opines in his endorsement of the book: “Falletta has done a masterful job addressing some of the most important ethical issues for workforce analytics.”
FIG 22: The HR Analytics Cycle (Salvatore V. Falletta)
RESEARCH REPORT OF THE MONTH
MAX BLUMBERG, ALEC LEVENSON, AND DAVE MILLNER - A Strategically Aligned HR Operating Model
In their recently published paper, three eminent and progressive thinkers in our field – Max Blumberg (JA) ?? Alec Levenson and Dave Millner – set out a pivot in how HR is structured and works in order to more closely align the function to the capabilities required for successful strategy execution. They present a new HR structure (see FIG 23) designed around four key pillars, before describing each pillar in detail and providing some diagnostic steps to implement this new operating model.
FIG 23: A new HR structure (Source: Blumberg, Levenson, and Millner)
FROM MY DESK
March saw four episodes from Series 37 of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, sponsored by our friends at Culture Amp - thank you to Ellisa Packer and Jodie Evans, a round-up of series 36 and a guest appearance by yours truly on the Future Work/Life podcast:
DAVID GREEN AND OLLIE HENDERSON - Driving growth in people and businesses using data – In a role reversal, it was my turn in the hotseat as I joined Ollie Henderson on his Future Work/Life podcast to talk people analytics, talent marketplaces, AI, hybrid work models and the future skills required by HR professionals.
DORIE CLARK - How to Embrace Long-Term Thinking in HR Leadership – Dorie Clark and I discuss how to pivot to long-term thinking, how to prioritise effectively, and why embracing failure can drive innovation and creativity.
DIDIER ELZINGA - How to Prove the ROI of a Positive Company Culture – Didier Elzinga joins me to discuss ways of engaging the board on culture topics, the relationship between a healthy culture and business performance, and how to demonstrate the ROI of culture and engagement initiatives.
ROB BRINER - What is Evidence Based HR and Why is it Important? – Rob Briner shares the principles of evidence-based HR, how it differs from people analytics, and offers recommendations to chief people officers on how they can incorporate EBHR into their work.
LOUISE MILLAR AND OLIVIA EDWARDS - Actionable People Analytics Strategies to Influence Senior Leadership – In a powerful example of people analytics in practice at a SME, Louise Millar and Olivia Edwards share insights from the people analytics journey at Chetwood.
DAVID GREEN – How will AI transform the role of HR? – A round-up of series 36 of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, with insights from episodes featuring Dawn Klinghoffer Jeremy Shapiro Thomas Hedegaard Rasmussen Serena H. Huang, Ph.D. Luke Farrugia Kaz Hassan Eric Siegel and Bernard Marr.
THANK YOU
Thomas Kohler for including the February edition of Data Driven HR in his round-up of HR resources.
Reb Rebele for referencing me in his post about the Wharton People Analytics Conference – you were missed, Reb.
Olimpiusz Papiez for providing a great set of takeaways on the Digital HR Leaders podcast episode with Dawn Klinghoffer, Jeremy Shapiro, and Thomas Rasmussen on People Analytics, AI and ML.
Peter Johnson for including me in his list of HR thought leaders.
Mokkup.ai for including my article on How Will AI Impact People Analytics in 2024 and Beyond? in their collection of Top 14 reads for Data Professionals.
Thinkers360 for including me in their list of the Top 50 B2B Thought Leaders, Analysts & Influencers You Should Work With In 2024 (EMEA)
Joveo for including me in their list of Top 9 Twitter Influencers Every Talent Acquisition Specialist Should Follow
To the following people who sharing the February edition of Data Driven HR Monthly. It's much appreciated: Allison Ardianto Eakkasit Toratana Jillian Meade David Balls (FCIPD) Kingsley Taylor Military Veterans of LinkedIn Robin Carlin Amy C. Lewis, PhD Russ Fatum Kouros Behzad Emily Klein Madison Clary Robert Rogowski Phillip M. Randall, PhD, CPG Gord Johnston MA, BHJ, BA, CHRP ANDRES CAMPOVERDE Aravind Warrier Francisca Solano Beneitez Satya Prakash Pandey Malgorzata (GOSIA) LANGLOIS Dr. Zohaib Azhar (PhD-HR) Jane Datta David McLean John Lawson Alice Damonte Martha Curioni Vipul M. Mali ↗️ Jens Keuter Phil Inskip Andrew Smith MBA Ekta Vyas Ph.D Oswaldo Machado Bill Brown Barry Marshall Paola Carranco Murthy Nibhanipudi VS Jaana Saramies ? Robert Houghton Aysegul Tigli Indre Radzeviciute Radha Jeevan Melissa Hopper Fritz Tina Peeters, PhD Morten Hartvig Berg Pedro Pereira Gavin Wiseman
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, like this event in London, 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.