People analytics without mathematical background?

29 Mar

People analytics is a topic that is becoming increasingly popular and the focus of many HR professionals. Many people realize that they should use HR analytics, but they may not know how to go about it if they are not good with numbers.

In this article, we explore why the misconception that you have to be good at math is not true. First, we’ll explore why you should get into HR analytics even if you’re not naturally fond of numbers. Then we’ll explore how working with HR analytics is really about understanding the business. Finally, we’ll discuss some ways you can get started using HR analytics.

You don't need sophisticated math to understand HR analytics.

Don’t worry if you don’t know the difference between standard deviation and variance, or think HR analytics is just another matter for the math gifted. Everyone in the company can benefit from HR analytics, and you can help them do it!

Here’s why:

Understanding HR analytics relies on skills you already have!

HR analytics is about identifying patterns, trends, and correlations across a broad spectrum of data. This doesn’t mean crunching numbers and pulling out 100 lines of code, but being curious, digging deeper, and having a keen eye for patterns and details.

In fact, many of the best HR analysts have degrees in the humanities or other non-science disciplines. You’ll find that many of the most meaningful metrics are easy to understand and can be easily learned with a little practice.

When working with HR analytics, it’s important to take a holistic approach and consider all the different departments and functions within your organization. This knowledge will help you identify patterns and trends within the organization that the data can’t tell you.

You can get started sooner than you think

Getting started with workforce analytics at your company can seem difficult at first. However, there are a few things you can do to get started.

First, you should read up on the basics of workforce analytics and understand the different concepts that make up the field. This can be done by reading books, blogs or articles on the subject. For example, you can find the most important metrics easily explained in our Metrics Library on the peopleIX website.

Find ways to practice your skills. It’s best to start small – for example, by looking at existing data and trying to understand some of the causes that might have led to it.

If you already feel overwhelmed at the thought of HR analytics, don’t worry – you already have the skills to succeed. The more you learn about that and business interaction between different departments, the better you’ll be able to understand and analyze HR data.

For example, do you feel that people in home offices have a lower retention rate and therefore a higher turnover rate. Can HR analytics help analyze the information and data from performance and master data systems to confirm or disprove the effect. This way, the right HR measures can be developed and implemented in a data-driven manner. Among many other use-cases, you can also use people analytics to learn more about your recruiting. For example, do you want to know from which channels the most applicants come? The data from the master data systems can help you identify the most effective channel for your recruiting and prove it based on the data.

So nurture your analytical and creative thinking skills and get on the road to learning more about your company and the people in it!

Get started

peopleIX connects all your HRIS, ATS and other HR data sources to create a unified view of your workforce. Get a personalized demo around your unique pain points and discuss your company’s specific needs. Find out how peopleIX can help you on your people analytics journey. Or discover our use cases in the areas of people, recruiting, retention and DEI.