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Redefining HR Using People Analytics The Case of Google
Redefining HR Using People Analytics The Case of Google
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Anupama Rajesh
Amity University
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Analytical techniques
People analytics helps to seek answers to critical questions such as improvement of
productivity; suitability of an employee for a job; staffing requirements of organizations;
performance of individuals, teams and departments; and identification of skill gaps. Such
insights can be gained from a variety of analytical techniques, such as:
DOI 10.1108/HRMID-06-2017-0112 VOL. 26 NO. 2 2018, pp. 3-6, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 0967-0734 j HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL DIGEST j PAGE 3
n Data mining and machine learning: Data mining refers to identifying trends in large
amounts of raw data, which are then converted into relevant information. Machine
learning is the use of computers in analysing data and identifying patterns. It can
be understood as a type of artificial intelligence.
n Contextual analytics: This refers to an analysis of text to understand its meaning,
characteristics, the context of historical and structural setting, etc. It also provides
insight into the intentions of the author and the purpose that was set out to be achieved
by choosing certain words and leaving out others. An example of contextual analytics is
its use by organizations to analyse candidates’ job applications to assess fitment for a
job, stability in career, attitude, behaviour, etc.
n Predictive analytics: It uses data analysis techniques such as predictive algorithms and
data mining to forecast what may happen in future, such as what–if scenarios and
estimation of risk. It is useful to organizations, as it helps to plan for future. For instance,
predictive analytics can be used to forecast the change in staffing plans during
organizational restructuring.
n Prescriptive analytics: It uses analytical techniques to provide solutions to
organizational problems, keeping various possibilities into consideration.
Owing to the numerous advantages of people analytics, organizations have started
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implementing it in the various areas of HR. One such notable example is Google, which has
extensively used analytics to take some strategic people-related decisions.
“Project Oxygen”
This was a research-backed, multi-year project that aimed to identify and rank leadership
traits of managers. It involved a detailed analysis of qualitative comments from employee
surveys, employees’ expectations from managers which were sourced from complaints and
praises mentioned in performance reviews, from phrases in top manager awards, etc.
These words were processed and coded to identify eight behaviours of good managers
(re: Work, 2016):
This analysis gave an understanding to the management about how employees expected to
be managed and provided guidelines about the roles and responsibilities of managers. It
revealed that employees also look up to their managers for coaching and mentoring along
with technical guidance. This insight has now been incorporated into the managerial
training and development programmes at Google and has become a part of the day-to-day
working style of managers. These dimensions are used and focused upon when candidates
are interviewed for people manager roles and for promotions as well. These have also been
included in bi-annual performance reviews of managers at Google.
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Conclusion
As employees are the most crucial resource that an organization can possess, it is
important that organizations make appropriate people-oriented decisions. Google has
created a fine example of incorporating analytics in day-to-day decision-making, which
Keywords:
has helped them gain some crucial insights into people operations. Organizations’ initiatives
Google,
HR analytics, like these can also help to bridge the gap between the existing judgement-based approach
Algorithm, that the HR function is now based upon and the data-driven approach that it needs to
People analytics adopt.
References
Gardener, N., McGranahan, D. and Wolf, W. (2011), “Question for your HR chief: are we using our ‘people
data’ to create value?”, McKinsey.
re: Work. (2016), “People analytics – where HR meets science at Google”, available at: https://rework.
withgoogle.com/blog/people-analytics-where-hr-meets-science-at-google/
Talent Management and HR. (2014), “How Google is using people analytics to completely reinvent HR”,
available at: www.tlnt.com/how-google-is-using-people-analytics-to-completely-reinvent-hr-2/
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