Enabling Technology

Lies, Damns Lies, and Metrics, Apologies To Mark Twain (Part III)

Heavy analytical “lifting” may provide best return for your efforts to improve HR processes.

by Naomi Lee Bloom

In my September column, I introduced the importance and use of metrics in the running of the HRM business and its HRM delivery system (HRMDS) as well as in the service-level agreements for any outsourced HRM process(es) or part of the HRMDS. The October column introduced an HRM domain model to provide a precise and consistent terminology for those HRM processes when discussing HRM and HRMDS metrics (or any other aspect of or delivery method for HRM). Having now set up your metrics spreadsheet, as recommended in the last column, with the domain model defining the columns, we can now set up the rows.

For these, I’m proposing an HRM metrics taxonomy which progresses from the easiest to develop but furthest removed from achieving business outcomes to the most difficult to develop but also most directly related and important to achieving business outcomes. The proposed taxonomy and the rows in your spreadsheet are going to be:

  • HRM administrative process activity metrics;
  • HRM strategic process activity metrics;
  • HRM administrative process outcome metrics;
  • HRM strategic process outcome metrics;
  • HRM administrative process activity pattern recognition metrics;
  • HRM strategic process activity pattern recognition metrics;
  • HRM administrative process outcome pattern recognition metrics;
  • HRM strategic process outcome pattern recognition metrics;
  • HRM administrative process activity pattern prediction metrics;
  • HRM strategic process activity pattern prediction metrics;
  • HRM administrative process outcome pattern prediction metrics; and
  • HRM strategic process outcome pattern prediction metrics.

 

In subsequent columns, we’re going to explore in detail how each of these metrics is used and provide many examples across the HRM domain model. While it’s fairly easy to suggest universally useful metrics across the domain model for administrative process activities and even for administrative process outcomes, the more strategic and/or higher level metrics are really difficult to generalize—and that’s where the heavy analytical lifting by HR leadership and HRM process specialists comes in. But to get started understanding and using the taxonomy and thinking about your own organization, here are some examples:

  • HRM administrative process activity metric—the number of unsolicited expressions of interest in working in our organization received through the career section of our public web site during March 2005;
  • HRM strategic process activity metric—the number of unsolicited expressions of interest in working in our organization received through the career section of our public web site during March 2005, and which took our site’s initial screening questions;
  • HRM administrative process outcome metric—the number of unsolicited expressions of interest in working in our organization received through the career section of our public web site during March 2005, which passed our site’s initial screening questions, and were referred for recruiter followup;
  • HRM strategic process outcome metric—the number of unsolicited expressions of interest in working in our organization received through the career section of our public web site during March 2005, which passed our site’s initial screening questions at such a high level to be referred for follow-up to our high-potential recruiter;
  • HRM administrative process activity pattern recognition metrics—the percentage of those referred for recruiter follow-up with an MBA received between 1970 and 1975 from a list of MBA programs whose graduates have risen most rapidly through our management training program;
  • HRM strategic process activity pattern recognition metrics—the number of identified MBA holders who were graduates from several Indian universities not previously represented in our talent pool.

Stay with me as these columns continue to define the different categories of metrics and provide examples across the HRM domain model.

Tags: Enabling Technology

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