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Trina McBrideJul 30, 2019 3:34:30 PM2 min read

Evidence-Based HR 103: Why Modern HR Organizations Need Data Science

In our “Evidence-Based HR 101” (EBHR) article, we introduced the idea of using evidence to support HR decision-making. We described EBHR as the idea that HR should make decisions based on proven evidence, hard data, and experimental studies in order to eliminate subjectivity, uncertainty, and risk. In our follow-up “102” post, we discussed best practices, including setting goals, finding or creating evidence, and ensuring the evidence fits the situation.

Today, we’re adding a new dimension to our understanding of EBHR: the role of data and data science.

“Most companies have all the data that they need, they just don’t know how to use it,” says Jenny Dearborn, co-author of The Data Driven Leader. “They don’t know how to put it together or what questions to ask. They don’t really know what they’re looking for.”

In other words, companies already have a host of evidence available to them through data produced by the tools and reports they use. Companies know which salespeople are the most productive, which managers have the highest turnover, which recruitment strategies are the most cost-effective, etc. What companies do not know is how to extract usable information from that raw data.

That requires incorporating data expertise into HR operations.

Unfortunately, most HR professionals simply aren’t trained to analyze data in ways that can produce or substantiate evidence that can be used in decision-making. Just getting an analytics tool, without someone who can operate it knowledgeably, renders that tool suboptimal at best and ineffective at worst. More to the point, producing the most effective analysis – that which is predictive and forward-looking – requires data scientists who use sophisticated methodologies like AI and machine learning to understand the data they have and what it means for the future.

The good news is that, in these cases, opportunities for improvement abound.

‘‘We’re living through a golden age of understanding personal productivity,’’ Marshall Van Alstyne, a professor at Boston University who studies how people share information, tells The New York Times. ‘‘All of a sudden, we can pick apart the small choices that all of us make, decisions most of us don’t even notice, and figure out why some people are so much more effective than everyone else.’’

All that is required is data science.

 

CoAdvantage, one of the nation’s largest Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs), helps small to mid-sized companies with HR administration, benefits, payroll, and compliance. To learn more about our ability to create a strategic HR function in your business that drives business growth potential, contact us today.

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Trina McBride
Trina McBride serves as a Human Resources Business Advisor at CoAdvantage. Since joining the company in 2019, she has advanced from Regional HR Advisor to her current role, where she develops HR programs, conducts research, and provides strategic and tactical support to clients, account managers, and internal teams. She focuses on ensuring compliance, resolving HR challenges, and driving client satisfaction and retention. Trina brings extensive experience from ADP TotalSource, PHFE, and other organizations, where she supported federally funded programs and served as an HR Business Partner and Implementation Consultant. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, along with SHRM-CP and PHR certifications. Recognized for consistently exceeding retention goals, she recently partnered with the Implementation team to launch the New Client HRBA audit. She is also passionate about mentoring, coaching, and building strong cross-team partnerships. Based in Los Angeles, Trina is an active volunteer, supporting health-focused community events and the annual Martin Luther King Day Parade. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her two daughters, both now in college.

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