The Power Of People Analytics For Gaining Actionable Insights

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Listening is a powerful tool, but it's often taken for granted. We've all been in that frustrating situation when the person you're talking to hears you but isn't truly listening to what you're saying. So imagine how our employees feel when we ask them what they need but don't deliver.

You've undoubtedly heard this before, but the goal of listening isn't to simply respond. It's to gain a better understanding in the moment so you can take meaningful action later. Fortunately, we now have more tools than ever to help us succeed in both listening and synthesizing information. Tracking carefully selected metrics is a key building block for a holistic people analytics approach to HR, allowing us to deliver actionable insights across the organization.

By combining people analytics with active listening, we can yield more positive outcomes, like improved employee engagement and satisfaction, better talent management and development and increased organizational performance.

Truly listening to employees is more crucial now than ever before. In a previous article , I shared that employee needs are dynamic and constantly shifting, often influenced by external factors. For example, high interest rates and the scarcity of affordable housing continue to define what constitutes affordable wages, directly affecting the well-being of our employees and their families. So if we want to develop effective organizational strategies, we must acknowledge and act on employees' real needs and concerns.

That's why it's important to understand the difference between hearing and listening. When you merely hear, you become a passive participant, which reduces the dialogue to a one-sided conversation. When you actively listen to employees, you engage with what they're saying so you can develop a strong understanding of their perspective. Honing this skill is essential for fostering a culture where employees feel valued and heard. By completely absorbing feedback, you can effect meaningful change and create a more inclusive, productive workplace.