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HR Grapevine
Louise Baird,
Heads of People Analytics, Marks and Spencers
Louise Baird, Head of People Analytics at Marks and Spencer, provides an in-depth analysis of how to help people managers become more data-driven including reporting and visualisation best practices and data literacy training strategies...
Louise Baird,
Heads of People Analytics, Marks and Spencers
Louise Baird, Head of People Analytics at Marks and Spencer, provides an in-depth analysis of how to help people managers become more data-driven including reporting and visualisation best practices and data literacy training strategies...
When managers are more data-driven, they are more effective. People analytics can help managers improve individual engagement, identify and resolve barriers to productivity, and create high-performing teams. But to achieve this data-led nirvana, they need help from HR.
Louise Baird, Head of People Analytics at Marks and Spencer, recognizes the importance of people analytics in the employee-manager relationship. In this in-depth interview, Baird outlines how HR can support managers with effective reporting and visualisation, comprehensive data literacy training programs, and carefully managed cultural change.
How can people analytics help improve manager effectiveness?
It takes away the need for decisions to be made on ‘gut feel’ alone and adds some facts into the mix.
There are many ways in which people analytics can help improve manager effectiveness. It empowers managers to make more informed decisions, optimise team performance, and foster a positive work environment conducive to employee growth and development.
Manager effectiveness is improved firstly, through enabling data-driven decision-making. People analytics provides managers with objective data on various aspects of their team's performance, such as productivity, engagement, and retention rates. This data allows managers to make informed decisions regarding resource allocation, performance management, and talent development, among other things.
Overly complex data is a barrier for many managers. How can HR fix that?
There are best practices that can be adopted to ensure managers and organizations can be effectively connected with clear data insights that empower them to make informed decisions and drive positive change within their teams.
Firstly, conduct some requirements gathering to understand the audience's needs. Before presenting data insights, it's crucial to understand their specific needs and priorities and then tailor your data analysis to address their key questions and challenges.
It empowers managers to make more informed decisions, optimise team performance, and foster a positive work environment conducive to employee growth and development.
Louise Baird | Head of People, Marks and Spencer
Secondly, simplify and context your data presentation. Presenting data in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format, such as charts, graphs, and dashboards is key. Avoid overwhelming managers with too much information and focus on highlighting the most relevant insights that directly relate to their goals and objectives. Contextualise the data insights by explaining the underlying factors driving the trends or patterns observed. Help managers understand the "why" behind the data and how it relates to their business objectives and decision-making processes. Most importantly, in my opinion, avoid jargon and technical terminology when presenting data insights to managers. Use plain language and concise explanations to ensure clarity and comprehension. Your audience will most likely not be data professionals, so make sure you talk to them in an appropriate manner that aids their understanding.
Thirdly, storytelling is key, and highlighting actionable insights or recommendations that managers can use to drive meaningful change and improvement within their teams will be how you can positively impact the business and add value to your work. Providing concrete recommendations and strategies based on the data analysis will help managers make informed decisions.
