Demand for Performance Data Increasing Dramatically

Nick Burkholder

Virtually all business media are reporting that the demand for organization performance data is going to increase dramatically. Not just more numbers, but the details behind numbers. Proof. Everyone - analysts, the market, the government are all going to be a lot more careful and demanding. The practice of pitching numbers like breakfast cereal is over.

Like everything else in business this demand on management is going to roll down through the organization and you will soon be feeling the pressure to document human capital performance -- provide proof.

Most organizations are already behind in their ability to measure and understand human capital so this presents an extra challenge for HR leaders.

Here are some tips to that will enable you to respond:

• Take the time now to sure you're measuring what is important to your customers and that your human capital metrics are directly tied to organizational objectives. For example: Retention - keeping the people you want to keep - is more important than turnover data.
• Focus on measuring desired outcomes rather than negative - new hire quality rather than cost of turnover.
• Make sure your numbers are right. Check them yourself. Over 70% of the reported HR performance data that we have reviewed is incorrect
• Exploit your existing and resources systems to collect and calculate metrics.
• Use general ledger data for any financial input, don't keep your own records. You know it's accurate and it will foot with any accounting reports.