There is an astronomical amount of data at our fingertips every day. In our personal lives we research products, look up and find old classmates and ask Google basically any question we want and get a slew of information back. What about in the workplace? How do companies gather and analyze data effectively to move the business forward? More specifically, how can HR departments best utilize an abundance of information to be proactive and strategic instead of reactionary and relying on “gut feelings”? The answer is with predictive analytics.
Using big data is a new trend for human resources, as HR has typically lagged behind other areas such as operations or sales and marketing. Harnessing the data we have and using predictive analytics will further improve HR as a strategic business partner within the organization. For example, instead of reactionary hiring, we work together with our business units to develop proactive short- and long-term hiring strategies based on retirement ages, project timing and turnover. This also allows us to be more nimble in our hiring practices.
Another area we can use predictive analytics in is our training and development programs for both office and manufacturing employees. Predicative analytics can help identify training needs – not just based on changing demographics, but also at the individual level. At our manufacturing facilities, we can use this information to tailor our training programs to better equip employees for the changing technology within our trucks. We also develop multifaceted training programs providing a wide variety of learning techniques to meet the needs of a variety of learning styles.
We have only just touched the surface of big data and predictive analytics in the area of human resources. At Daimler Trucks North America, our people are our competitive advantage. We must ensure we are meeting the needs of both our employees and our business partners on multiple levels. Using big data and predictive analytics will help guide our decisions and help us develop our strategy.
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