The Human side of HR Analytics

: A case study exploration of the reaction to, and potential consequences of, HR Analytics implementation

Abstract

HR Analytics is the use of data to take more evidence-based people decisions. It is generating high levels of interest in the HR practitioner community due to its promise of significant impacts on both costs and the strategic effectiveness of the HR function. It is however also an area that is currently under-researched, with much of the existing literature coming from a practitioner and consultant perspective, rather than an academic view. Where impact analysis is performed, the existing literature is predominately focused on immediate measures of
success that arise directly from the implementation of HR Analytics, such as cost savings in recruitment or employee retention programs. To embrace HR Analytics and the use of data to drive decisions about employees is an inherently positivist approach, and this is the dominant philosophy in the literature. This research, however, adopts a more subjectivist stance performing a qualitative study of UK based managers working for a respected early adopter of HR Analytics. Their understanding of, and reaction to, HR Analytics implementation and its role in managerial decision making is explored through a Thematic Analysis of data from a series of semi-structured interviews. The contribution of this research lies in three areas. Firstly, through the identification of themes that provide an insight into the practitioner view of HR Analytics. Secondly, through the presentation of a series of potential consequences that may arise from HR Analytics, acknowledgement of which could improve future HR Analytics implementations. Thirdly, through the identification of areas for additional research arising from this study.

Date of Award	21 Jan 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Winchester
Supervisor	Adam Palmer (Supervisor), Carole Parkes (Supervisor) & Richard Gunton (Supervisor)