What is the fundamental challenge of the analytical aptitude competency for HR professionals?
To change the basic way they interpret or assess events.
Analytical Aptitude
Refers to examining an idea, a process, or an event with an open, objective, and inquiring mind. It is a critical skill in evidence-based decision making (EBDM), using sound data to hypothesize, assess, and select solutions.
Data advocacy
Developing an inquiring mindset, learning what data drives the business and where it can be found, developing partnerships across the organization to promote EBDM, and modeling the skill of EBDM to the entire organization through the decisions HR makes and the plans of action it undertakes
Data Gathering
Knowing what constitutes sufficient, credible, and objective evidence and being able to find it.
Data analysis
Being able to organize data so that it reveals patterns and to analyze it to detect logical relationships.
Evidence-Based Decision Making (EBDM)
Being able to apply the results of data gathering and analysis to make better business decisions.
What do effective data advocates show?
That analysis does not exist for the sake of analysis - it is focused on making more informed decisions that minimize risk and maximize opportunities. They also assist in building a data-driven culture, encouraging EBDM throughout the organization, from bottom up.
HR Professionals should consider six steps described by Ben Eubanks’ research for Evidence-Based Decision Making:
What are the ways Denise Rousseau and Eric Barends mention to become a better data-based HR practitioner and improve the competence of the HR function in evidence-based decision making?
Data sources
Comprise quanitfiable data and qualitative data. HR professionals use different techniques to obtain the data they need: interviews, focus groups, surveys/questionnaries, and observation. Existing data can also be used.
Quantitative Data
Consists of objective measurements that can be verified and used in statistical analysis
Qualitative Data
Involves a subjective evaluation of actions, feelings, or behaviors. Measurements can be made by a third-party observer; can also be self-assessments; the data can be assigned numerical values (but these values don’t carry significance)
Qualitative data can include observations of steps in a process or of traits that are present in people who are rated as successful in a job. May be assessments of value or significance.
Which is more important - qualitative or quantitative data?
Both types of data are important to HR professionals. The purpose of the research usually determines the type of data collected.
Several questions you should consider before accepting data in a print or online publication:
Does the source have authority? A government agency, such as a labor department or ministry, or an academic institution is more credible than a blogger.
What are the source’s possible biases? Bias can lead to “cherry picking” data—including only the facts that support a certain position.
Are the sources for data used in a publication clearly cited? And are those sources reliable and accurate?
Are the facts relevant? For example, data about trends in one industry may not apply to all industries.
Is the data current? Some concepts are classic, but data is subject to variables that can weaken its relevance over time. For example, data from a recessionary period can be highly inaccurate in describing conditions in an expanding economy.
If the data is being offered as proof of an argument, is the argument itself sound? Are its deductions from the data logical?
Interviews as a data source - Interviews may be used for different purposes:
Interviews are rarely the sole form of gathering data from those involved because:
of the amount of time and labor required to conduct them. If multiple interviewers are used, they must be carefully trained and prepared so that all interviews are conducted in the same manner without bias.
Advantages and challenges of interviews:
Advantages:
-Safer, confidential environment may generate significant information.
-Comments can suggest direction for further group research (focus groups and surveys).
Challenges:
- Can be time-intensive.
- Requires strong relationship-building skills.
- Requires vigilance to avoid bias from influencing questions and interpretation of answers.
Individual interviews are more effective if:
areas of discussion and specific questions are planned.
A key interview tool is:
The interview guide or instrument. It should be drafted and reviewed by other team members and perhaps by the client.
All means should be taken to establish a positive and trusting relationship with the interviewees.
Focus Group:
A small group (normally 6 - 12) invited to actively participate in a structured discussion with a facilitator.
Usually last from 1-3 hours, depending ont eh topic and the purpose.
Serve a variety of purposes - are often used to follow up on a survey, providing a more in-depth look at specific issues raised during the survey - in this respect, focus groups collect qualitative data that enriches quantitative survey results.
The following are important considerations regarding focus groups:
Focus Groups Advantages and Challenges:
Advantages:
- Provides a format that is flexible and relatively comfortable for discussion
- Allows for group brainstorming, decision making, and prioritization
- Can provide group consensus
- Enables HR to learn about employee needs, attitudes, and opinions in a direct format
- Gives employees direct input
Challenges:
- Tends to foster “group think” conformity
- May be difficult to control; can become a forum where participants go off on tangents
- Generally don’t allow for deep discussions, depending on time constraints and the number of participants
- Can provide skewed or biased results if participants are not representative
When planning a focus group, HR should consider the following:
Focus group tools:
Mind Mapping and affinity diagramming
Nominal group technique (NGT)
Delphi Techninque