Data

Privacy Commissioner of Canada creates draft guidance document outlining inappropriate data practices and no-go zones

December 6, 2017 Christina Catenacci HR and Technology, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Privacy and Security, Recruiting and Hiring

On September 28, 2017, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada created a draft guidance document providing clarification on inappropriate data practices, specifically focusing on subsection 5(3) of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). This provision is entitled, “Appropriate purposes”, and states that, “an organization may collect, use or disclose personal information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider are appropriate in the circumstances”.

access to personal information, Data, disclosure, electronic devices, employment law, no-go zones, personal information, Personal Information and Protection of Electronic Data Act, PIPEDA, Privacy Commissioner of Canada, social media

HR and IT: An uneasy alliance

February 6, 2017 Deveen Hunter Employee Relations, HR and Technology, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Privacy and Security

HR is being called on to focus primarily on strategic goals and to add increasing value to organizations. The other field that has become an integral part of business is technology. It is therefore not surprising that in HRs effort to become increasingly relevant, IT is being leveraged in the execution of the HR function in an increasing number of ways. This e–HR revolution has taken many forms, from applicant tracking systems, to machine learning in recruitment and selection to software driven onboarding and employee HR support. The consequence of this is that more and more HR activities are being executed electronically—by a computer instead of by a person.

Data, data interpretation, employment law, e–HR, e–HR revolution, HR, HR management, HR practitioners, IT and HR, PIPEDA, privacy, Protection and Electronic Documents Act, social media, technoethics

The power of data visualization

November 30, 2016 PeopleInsight Workforce Analytics HR Analytics, HR and Technology, HRMS, Human Resources

With so much HR and Talent data at our disposal, its critical that we come up with ways to distill the volume into manageable and meaningful chunks of information. A key way to do this is via data visualization. It seems common sense, but why then do we still attend or present at meetings with slides consisting of rows and columns of numbers, or text–heavy slides with a crude chart or two as illustration of the points? Why do annual reports favour flat data, charts and lists, and heavy text explanations?

Data, data and analytics, data visualization, employment law, HR data, Talent data

HR data: Go beyond the tip of the iceberg

September 27, 2016 PeopleInsight Workforce Analytics HR Analytics, HR and Technology, HR Policies and Procedures, HRMS, Human Resources

Workforce data is everywhere. In all different formats using multiple languages, inconsistent terminology, and living in different systems. Given this complexity, it’s not surprising that most HR & talent teams access and utilize only a small portion of their data’s power. This is the data that’s visible, on the surface, and easily reported. But this is only the tip of the iceberg…and below the surface is where we really need to focus to deliver results for the business.

Data, employment law, foundational metrics, HR, HR data, HR systems, standard reporting, workforce data

Ontario Privacy Commissioner releases BYOD policy whitepaper

January 29, 2014 Adam Gorley Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Privacy and Security

Employees have taken work home with them on laptops, portable media and via email for many years. Since the advent of the smartphone, however, the scale of the practice has expanded dramatically, and data is now more likely in workers’ pockets or purses than on their desks at home.

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Understanding top talent

November 26, 2013 PeopleInsight Workforce Analytics HR Analytics, Human Resources, Recruiting and Hiring, Training and Development

When I hear people talk about top talent, I get reminded of the elusive (and sometimes voodoo) experiences that I had in the past in corporate environments when identifying top talent.
I have to say, it always conjures up memories both good and bad.

acquire, Attract and manage talent accordingly, Business, career, corporate environments, Data, decision making, develop and retain, PeopleInsight, performance, quantitative and qualitative approach, recruitment, recruitment process, shareholder value, Talent acquisition, talent development, talent management, talent retention programs, top performer, top talent, workforce data

HR analytics process: Ask better questions

January 9, 2013 Ian J Cook HR Analytics, HRMS, Human Resources

Every HR trend report I have read this year has a focus on analytics and data as one of the top 5 trends. Having helped this field emerge over the last 5 years this was rewarding to see. At the same time I was struck by the gap between the level of expectation about the returns from HR analytics and the current level of practice that we see. In short, to meet the expectations of business leaders in relation to HR analytics we are going to need to get very focused and very effective, quickly.

absence rates, Data, expectations of business leaders, HR analytics process, HR measurement practices, HR trend, manage talent risks, number of hires, organizational success, spend on HR, talent skills and capabilities, top 5 trends, trends, vacancy rates

The winds of change: Making HR measurement happen

November 13, 2012 Ian J Cook Employee Relations, HR Analytics, HRMS, Human Resources

The momentum behind measurement in HR is growing and what I learned from the trip indicates that one of the drivers of change has shifted.

accounting, Business, change, Data, finance, hr analytics, HR measurement, HR metrics, HR reporting, hr strategy, HR system transformation project, HR trends, HRIS, Human Resources Information System, human resources management system, leadership, management, results, tangible reporting of HR results

HR Metrics: “Data suppresses anti-bodies”

October 10, 2012 Ian J Cook HR Analytics, HR Policies and Procedures, HRMS, Human Resources

I came across the title of today’s piece in Guy Kawasaki’s book “the Art of the Start”. It has made me smile for the last week. The quote elegantly expresses why HR practitioners need to be measuring. Here is why

Data, data supports decisions, HR data, HR data and analytics, HR is often the source of new ideas, HR metrics, HR practitioners, hr strategy, leadership, New ideas are perceived as a threat, performance management process, policies and practices

Start with firm foundations to obtain stable HR data

August 9, 2012 Ian J Cook Health and Safety, HR Analytics, HRMS, Human Resources, Payroll, Recruiting and Hiring, Training and Development

I am often contacted by human resources groups and analysts looking to take their work to the next level and discover the next great insight. Often they are seeking some holy grail or mystic equation that will simply answer the complex questions that human systems create. This is a worthy and powerful quest and one which is moving human resources groups and the organizations they serve into a better and more productive position. Unfortunately…

Analytics, common approach, common standard, Data, data quality, data structure, HR data, HR metrics, HR Metrics Service, HRIS, metrics, qualitative, quantitative, system design, system output

Strategy misaligned to HR

July 12, 2012 Ian J Cook Employee Relations, HR Analytics, HRMS, Human Resources, Recruiting and Hiring, Training and Development

This week I was helping a colleague figure out what their HR data was telling them and how to put this into a report. The first place to start was the organizational goals and where they wanted to get to.

Data, employee engagement, hr strategy, organizational goals, productivity, recruiters, recruitment, retention, retention programs, reward structures, skills training, strategy, Strategy misaligned to HR, team skills, teamwork, turnover

The HR long game

April 12, 2012 Ian J Cook HR Analytics, HRMS, Human Resources, Recruiting and Hiring, Training and Development

For many in the human resources function, every day is a series of reactions and responses to events. The experience of work is the constant juggle of urgent demands to hire people, sort out employment issues, deal with grievances or conflicts, resolve pay demands or other requests. All of these activities are important and urgent and place an immediate call on our attention and action. This experience creates a habit, where new information is reviewed with a bias to action or crisis. If there is nothing urgent or important here then the information can be ignored—there is nothing to do…

Absenteeism, benchmarking report, Data, HR data, HR function, HR issues, HR measurement, HR metrics, HR Metrics Service, productivity, resignation rates, trends, vacancies

Data vs. uncertainty

February 9, 2012 Ian J Cook HR Analytics, HRMS, Human Resources

One of the main barriers to a good decision is uncertainty. This is especially true when…

Data, decision making, headcount ratio, HR data, HR data and analytics, HR headcount, HRIS, HRmetrics, influence, strategic HR, strategy

The cost of measurement

November 10, 2011 Ian J Cook HR Analytics, HRMS, Human Resources

Once you have a reputation as a “measurement guy” you get a lot of speaking requests. Recently I was asked to speak on a wellness topic. In the end I declined because even though the measurement aspects of the question were clear, I did not have the knowledge of the topic to deliver well. The request got me thinking about the costs of measurement. Often this is an area that is not considered when people get into the question of finding data.

analysis, cost, costs of measurement, Data, employment, engagement, HR budgets, HR measurement, measurement, survey

Let me compare thee…

July 14, 2011 Ian J Cook HR Analytics, HRMS, Human Resources, Union Relations

To achieve the best of both worlds it is important to align your data with common standards that are most likely to provide the opportunity for like with like comparison and like with unlike comparison. This creates the capability to compare in a way that confirms your performance or compare in a way that pushes your performance. As with all data and analytic practices the right thing to do is the one which moves the performance needle for your organization. The more HR can do this AND demonstrate this the better.

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