People Analytics vs Transactional Reporting

Hands on a table with a table and paper with graphs and charts.

Definition of People Analytics: Using both people-data and business-outcomes data to make smarter people and business decisions

Starting in 2012, we’ve been defining People Analytics as “using both people-data and business-outcomes data to make smarter
people and business decisions”.

While the definition of People Analytics (aka Talent Analytics/HR Analytics/Workforce Analytics, etc.) varies somewhat based on who
you speak with, it tends to be quite consistent and can be applied to both basic people analytics capabilities (like excel-based LOOKUPS
and PivotTables) and advanced capabilities like those found in an enterprise data warehouse
based solution.

These components must work in concert together and if your survey, talent or HCM solution isn’t employing a data warehouse for
your reporting and data analysis, then it isn’t a people analytics solution.

The fundamentals are:

If your survey, talent or HCM solution isn’t employing a data warehouse for your reporting and data analysis, then it isn’t a people analytics solution.