Why HR Analytics isn’t sexy

Lately I’ve been finding it hard to find time for that essential HR professional task of reading People Management. But the latest issue’s opening gambit by Peter Cheese struck an extremely relevant chord with me. I totally agree that the importance of HR Analytics is currently being bypassed. It’s not even the cup of tea for most HR professionals I know (cue many fake yawns when I announced my excitement at attending the Tucana HR Analytics conference in April) so heck knows how we’re supposed to get managers on board.

The Real Agenda

Ah, the agenda. It’s a slightly old fashioned document that arrives around one week prior to a meeting to tell everyone what they’re supposed to be talking about. It’s the Chair’s job to guide those present through each item. But no matter how strong the group, there’s always a hidden agenda. The vocal dissenters are easier to control but those who undertake a quieter rebellion are harder to spot.

Redemption

I’m a big planner and organiser. I think a good dose of certainty has a calming effect. Of course it’s impossible to plan for every eventuality, and that’s even more important to remember when one’s plans are ambitious and wide reaching (which mine often end up being). More difficult still is recognising that the unexpected can bring much needed challenge that actually creates a better outcome.

The Collaboration Clique

At this year’s #CIPD14 conference I highlighted that I heard the word collaboration being dropped throughout a range of different sessions. The word isn’t new – it comes from the Latin collaboratio meaning “work together” – yet the use of the term has increased sharply, particularly since the early 1980’s.

While their meanings are almost identical, collaboration has a much more cosy feel than it’s usurped forbear teamwork.

Inspiration is a Two Way Street

These days it’s widely recognised that many of the enabling tools and techniques of Human Resources need to be two-way to have any chance of being effective. A top-down, dictatorial style is no longer working (if it ever did in the first place). Communication and engagement are things we do together with our people, not to them or at them. In an ideal world anyway. Yet one of the key concepts of the latest management theories, inspiration, works very differently.