33 Explore & Engage: People Analytics Technology Explorations

The constant stream of innovative people analytics tools can be both exciting and overwhelming. And, sometimes we in the people analytics profession get so excited about the cool things we can do with data and technology that we forget to ask whether it is the right tool. Exploring tools for their fit to your personal and organizational needs is the best way to reduce the overwhelming number of technology and tool options while also ensuring you choose tools that will help you make the most impact. While it can be tempting to adopt the latest, hottest technology, it’s crucial to first evaluate and then make informed decisions regarding the best tools and technology for you.

Action – Start Where You Are

Don’t feel pressured to acquire the latest technology to get started. Many successful people analytics professionals have built strong foundations using just a few basic tools and their existing HR information system. I am definitely one of those people – I managed to do quite a bit in my career using only the freely available tools and whatever HR information system was available to me at the time. But, that’s because I dedicated serious effort into becoming expert in those tools.

1. Leverage Existing Resources: Start by maximizing the potential of your current tools. You don’t have to wait to get new technology to start making a difference with people analytics. When it’s time to add more, start small by incorporating new tools into specific tasks, gradually increasing their use as you gain proficiency.
2. Gradual Integration: When adding new tools, incorporate them into specific tasks gradually to build proficiency.
3. Build Your Skillset: Focus on tools that complement your existing skillset and gradually expand your knowledge. Prioritize tools that enhance your unique skillset, not replace it.

Action – Explore New Technology Offerings

Even if you are happy with the tools you have available to you. It can help spark ideas and keep you well versed in the field to also stay aware of new technology offerings and applications. Connect with your peers and industry experts to learn from their experiences and hear about the latest new advances to keep your creative juices flowing:

• Industry Events: Attend conferences and events to stay updated on the latest tools and trends. You’ll usually be able to visit booths and tables where technology providers will happily explain what their tools can do to help your people analytics skills grow.
• Peer Networking: Connect with colleagues and leverage their knowledge of various platforms. The best way to know if a tool has good support, resources and functionality, is to ask someone else who is doing people analytics how they use it and what experiences they have had.
• Independent Research: Utilize resources like RedThreadResearch.com for unbiased insights and reviews. I wait every year for RedThread to put out their annual review of the people analytics technology market. It provides a thorough overview and analysis of the many (so many) tools and technologies available in the people analytics space today.
• Collaboration: Partner with colleagues familiar with specific technologies to learn by example.
  • Tip: I usually recommend choosing tools that other people in your organization already use. For example, if you are considering learning to code but don’t know whether to learn R or Python, consider first who you might collaborate with. If you have access to a strong people analytics community, you might find more individuals using R who can share their people analytics specific applications with you. But, maybe you work in an organization full of software developers all working in Python, if so and those are the people you’ll have more opportunities to collaborate with, working in their language might be more beneficial.

Action – When Selecting Tools/Technology, Prioritize Technology Strategy Over Hype

1. Identify Personal Tech Needs: Review the many self-discovery skills assessment you did throughout this chapter. Identify a couple strengths that you want to amplify and search for tools and technology that could help you showcase and amplify those skills.
2. Identify Business Needs: Don’t get caught up in hype. Critically evaluate vendor claims and focus on solutions that align with your needs. Start by outlining your organization’s workforce challenges and opportunities. Then, pinpoint areas where data-driven approaches can provide valuable insights.
3. Create a Needs Assessment Grid:

   • Develop a matrix and list your personal tech needs as well as business challenges/opportunities individually in separate rows. Include a final row labeled “unique features and insights.”

   • In the columns, list the technologies/tools you will evaluate.

   • Review each offering, taking notes in your matrix on how each one can or cannot help you address the corresponding challenges and opportunities along with any additional features or insights it might be able to offer.

   • This grid is a simple easy way to help you differentiate similar options and can serve as an “alignment check.” If you find yourself drawn to a tool, but it doesn’t align to your personal or business needs, it may not be the best option at this particular time.

4. Ensure Security and Compliance: Prioritize platforms with robust data security measures and ensure compliance with relevant data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA). If a vendor seems unfamiliar with these regulations, consider it a red flag.
5. Consider Scalability and Future-Proofing: Choose a user-friendly platform with the ability to adapt to your evolving needs and integrate with future technologies. Evaluate the tool’s support and resources (e.g., help services, training resources, user communities). Objectively assess potential solutions in terms of it’s longer term alignment to your needs; consider whether the tool addresses your needs today and has functionality to expand to other challenges in the future. It is also critical that any tool you work with is able to integrate seamlessly with existing HR and business systems that you use.
6. Be Financially Savvy: Carefully consider the cost-effectiveness of the platform and its potential return on investment (ROI) based on your goals. Most companies will advertise a huger ROI for using their tool, but that may or may not be possible to achieve in your situation. Be cautious of those claims – real ROI typically comes from choosing tools that align to organizational needs. And don’t forget to factor in not only the initial cost but also ongoing maintenance fees and the cost it might take if you needed to scale to larger usage amounts.

Action – Have Fun and Experiment

1. Use Those Free Trials & Demos: Take advantage of free trial periods and demos to test functionalities and assess user-friendliness. They allow you to test functionalities, assess the ease of use, and get an idea of whether it will be the right fit for you. You can usually get a free trial version of many technology platforms; but, be warned, that company will almost certainly bug you indefinitely for the rest of your career trying to get you to buy!
2. Conduct Small Experiments: Conduct small-scale experiments, or “pilots,” to assess the suitability of new technologies for specific use cases.
   1. Tip: technology implementation experiments can be treated like any other experiment – making this a fun opportunity to explore new tech applications while also enhancing your research skills!
3. Focus on Automation and Impact: Explore features that will automate repetitive tasks, freeing up your time for more strategic and fun analytics. And, look for new technology that deliver the highest-impact results.

Action – Start Your Continuous Technology Adoption Learning Journey

Most technology companies want you to get the most out of their product and provide free learning and community resources to support you in doing just that. Take advantage of the wealth of resources available:

• Vendor Resources: Most vendors offer learning materials and community forums to support their products. Seek them out!
• Online Courses & Tutorials: Look for online courses, tutorials, and certifications offered by platforms or credible learning providers.
• Practice Makes Perfect: Allocate dedicated time to practicing with new tools to build proficiency as part of your career development plan.
• Seek Collaborative Learning: Surround yourself with colleagues who can share their knowledge and experience with specific technologies. Don’t be afraid to share with their learning attempts.

Remember, the people analytics technology landscape is constantly evolving. Treat technology as part of the continuous learning process to help you stay ahead of the curve and also to keep your career fresh and exciting.