10 Explore & Engage: Be a People Analytics Consumer

What to be a People Analytics data consumer? Set a goal to consume some form of people analytics content every day. This can be as focused or broad as you like. If you are still figuring out your interest in the field, get as many different sources as possible. If you have a particular industry or a focus area you are interested in (like learning, recruiting, or diversity analytics), that’s great too.

Before you start: get a notebook (digital or otherwise). Keep a notebook of what you learned, observed, and didn’t understand to ensure you are embedding the knowledge and preserving it for later use.

• Action – Actively consume existing content: This activity will be the easiest to coordinate and fit into your life when things get hectic. Dedicate a small portion of your day to consuming People Analytics content in any format (article, video, podcast, training, book, this career guide!, etc.).
  • Take notes – Take notes during and immediately after consuming each piece of information.
  • Summarize + compare and contrast – At the end of every week, write a summary of what you consumed in your notebook. Then compare and contrast the things you consumed over the week. Identify what they had in common, how they differed, and any points where they contradicted or supported each other.
• Action – Learn from those living it: If you have an opportunity, attend conferences, webinars, and/or meetup events. There are some larger People Analytics conferences around the world and many smaller meetup groups in certain cities. You can also join a community online (like the societyforpeopleanalytics.org). Search for events happening near you or communities to join and plan ahead.
  • Take notes – After each event (or review of an online forum) create a summary of what was said/shared. List common themes mentioned by multiple people. Write down any questions you have about topic(s) from the activities.
  • Tip – Be sure to gather names and contact info for people you learned from or met! These are great resources for future learning opportunities.
• Action – Watch the magic as it happens: Get yourself invited to any meeting or project presentation where analysis or data is being discussed. It doesn’t need to be related to People Analytics, any topic or type of data is a great learning opportunity.
  • Take notes – Write a summary of what was said/shared. For each summary indicate: what analysis was used, how it was displayed/shared, what problem or question it addressed, how others responded or reacted, and what you think was done particularly well or poorly.
  • Summarize – After every 3-5 meetings review your notebook and list any patterns you see. (For example, are some types of analyses better received than others? Do the presenters always seem to get the same type of questions? What did they all do well? Poorly?)
• Action – Research: When you have a question or need information for something you are working on. Always take the opportunity to research things – even if it’s only 5 minutes – and get in the habit of trying to consume some form of outside information before taking a stance on a particular item. Sometimes you won’t have enough time or luck to find anything useful, but sometimes you’ll find amazing things.
  • Tip – Always double-check the sources and fact-check what you find. This is especially important today when most search results are Generative AI derived. The results often sound plausible but are not always accurate. Be careful what you use.  

Helpful tips on what to consume during your journey:

• When you are just starting, focus on case studies that share what specific organizations are doing, explainer pieces, or descriptions of analyses used in People Analytics. These will be more beneficial to you than opinion pieces.
• Worried about time? Prioritize short items. Or, break items up into smaller pieces (like reading for just 10 minutes from a book each day). If you must, you can pick a smaller goal, like one article a week.
• Don’t let the amount of content overwhelm you. There are so many People Analytics items out there! You won’t be able to cover them all, even with a daily commitment. Try following a few trusted sources or places where materials are being curated for you. (For example, Insight222 does a monthly roundup of the best people analytics articles on their MyHRFuture.com blog.)

Bonus Action – Start using the data you consume!

Let’s say someone asks you a question, you have a decision to make, or you have a presentation or interview coming up. Go through your notebook and look for insights related to the topic to see if there are any you can use.

Being a consumer may seem almost too simplistic and so it often gets skipped in our busy hectic world. The more you proactively consume information, the more likely you will already have the necessary information available to you when you need it. You’ll be surprised by the number of times something will come up in a meeting, job interview, or other instance where what you previously consumed will apply. That will be your time to shine as the informed expert with ideas to share that you are.