Talent minus big data equals unsubstantiated rubbish - presentation at HRTechEurope October 2013. The world of Big Data and HR analytics is a massive opportunity for HR in the talent and other spaces. It provides an opportunity to provide data driven insights that ensure HR is dealing with real issues that will drive business performance which in turn will drive its credibility. Equally it's a massive threat. As one Senior HR Director said in our latest research "I think for far too long HR has asserted unsubstantiated rubbish. It’s all a house of cards and data will knock it down". This presentation looks at the potential impact of Big Data on HR through the eyes of some of the leading companies in the field and explore what it is and the impact it can make in driving substantiated insight driven HR.

1. Talent – Big Data =
Unsubstantiated Rubbish

2. So what is
Big Data ?

3. Every two
days we
create as
much
information
as we did
from the
dawn of
civilization
up
until 2003

4. 247,000,000,000 emails
per day

5. IN THE LAST 50 YEARS
THE NEW YORK TIMES
HAS PUBLISHED
2,900,000,000 WORDS

6. TWITTER
PUBLISHES
8,000,000,000
WORDS
EVERY DAY

7. WHY?

8. MOORE’S
LAW

9. ANALYTICAL
TOOLS

10. DATA
VISUALISATION

11. 2008 Research

12. 2008 Key Conclusions
•
•
•
•
Leadership Commitment
Alignment to business strategy
Specific vs generic
Technology doesn’t work

13. 2013 Research
13

14. “Big Data is the last
chance HR has to be
relevant”
“I think for far too
long HR has asserted
unsubstantiated
rubbish”
“It will tell us shocking
things we don’t want
to hear”
2013: The technology does work

16. Phil Simon Too big to
ignore: the
business
case for big
data
“HR folks tend to almost
exclusively rely on gut
instincts versus making
decisions based on data.
I’m convinced that as the
profession continues to
embrace the use of data
and analytics into its
practices, that it will also
continue to solidify its role
within the C-Suite”

17. Big data can
transform the
impact of talent
management
It engages leaders - it talks their
language; data, numbers,
about things they care about;
productivity, performance, buil
ding strategic capability

18. DATA OVERLOAD
DATA
ANALYSIS
INSIGHT
ACTION
BUSINESS
PROBLEM

19. DATA
ANALYSIS
INSIGHT
ACTION
BUSINESS
PROBLEM

20. What is our business
plan?
Where are our growth
opportunities?
Where are the cash cows we need
to maintain?
Which are the critical areas to
deliver our strategy – the 2/3 things
we need to do which will provide
the biggest quantum of value
creation?
How will we win in the
market, make money?
In each case who are our
competitors and how will we win
business from them?
In each case who are our customers
and how will we attract or retain
them?
What is our core brand proposition?
What are the talent
implications
What are the talent
gaps/issues?
What does HR need to
do?
In each case what are the
capabilities (the key people skills
and behaviours) needed to deliver
this competitive position?
Where do we have the biggest
capability gaps?
Where should HR focus its talent
activities to close these gaps?
Are these capabilities general
capabilities or do they relate to
specific key roles and if so which
ones are they?
What is the culture that underpins
this brand?
Where do we have the biggest
vulnerabilities in terms of critical
roles?
What’s the gap between this
desired and actual culture?
How does this match where HR
currently focuses?
Based on this whole conversation
what’s the one thing you would
like HR to deliver that would add
the greatest value against the
business strategy?

21. • Processed data from assessment
centres - what makes a successful
revenue generator?
• Not all competencies are equal.
• Rated them on a 4 point scale.
• Each point = £450K in extra
revenue once they made partner
PROFESIONAL
SERVICES
EXAMPLE

22. RETAIL
EXAMPLE
• Sales in Sheffield shot up - only
variable change in store manager.
• Analysed what was it about that
store manager.
• Applied it across the network.
• Marketing had been doing a lot of
work on best margins and most
profitable customers but without
linking it to people so were missing
the key drivers of performance.

23. AIRLINE
EXAMPLE
• Assumed ex military = best pilots
• Properly analysed role of pilots from
flying skills to key metrics: on-time
arrivals, flight safety etc.
• Insight ex military pilots don't
necessarily make the best
commercial pilots.
• Improved the selection
process, reduced selection
costs, time to hire and the need for
training by 20%.

25. ?

26. TURKEYS
DON’T VOTE
FOR
CHRISTMAS

27. INABILITY
TO WORK
AS A
TEAM

28. “Your CFO Won’t Believe You Anyway: Any CFO worth his ledger isn’t
going to believe your stated ROI for a talent or HR program. He’s used
to making fresh-faced, Ivy League MBAs cry by dissecting a financial
proposal’s every assumption and pointedly questioning its logic. And
that’s with investments that have quantifiable inputs and outputs!
Your
ROI
analysis
that
takes
“soft”
inputs
(engagement, training, coaching) and proposes specific dollar returns
(or vice versa) will be met with a polite smile and a hidden smirk.”
Talent Management ROI (Ridiculously Overwrought Insecurity). Marc Effron, April 2, 2013
http://www.hrexaminer.com/talent-management-roi-ridiculously-overwrought-insecurity/

29. This is the future for Talent
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
From the business issue not the data.
Don't be seduced by the technology
Start small, prove the concept.
Join your HR data with finance, marketing, risk etc
Presentation is critical - KISS
Recruit people who get it
Develop data comfort
Data is a tool not the answer, never lose track of the
human element of talent