There is often frustration in people analytics teams because there is often something of a perceived disconnect occurring between them and the rest of the business.
One solution commentators suggest to address this disconnect is to create a role of “people analytics consultant.”
But is this a good idea?
Before I answer this, we first need to step back a bit, and look at the problem in the round:
Why is there a disconnect between people analytics teams and the rest of the business?
It’s natural that there is a certain disconnection felt between people analytics and the business, just like there is often a disconnection between technology professionals and the business.
Analytics professionals are usually very heads-down in data and analysis.
That is what they know and love.
As such, they may lack an understanding of what the business needs.
But more than this, they may also lack the temperament to want to figure it out.
Meanwhile, business users don’t have a good sense of what people analytics can do for them.
They are over-confident in trusting their gut and they don’t know how to pose answerable questions.
Too often they want analytics to dig up data to support a decision they have already made – which is completely at odds with what analytics is meant to do.
Moreover, they may not always have the knowledge or temperament to be good partners to the analytics team.
So are analytics consultants ‘really’ the solution to bridging the gap?
A consultant who is good at understanding business problems and has some technical understanding of people analytics should be able to bridge the gap between analytics and the business.
It’s a classic kind of consulting job and many people love doing this kind of work.
But…
The main problem with adding consultants to the analytics team is that it increases headcount.
In a large company committed to data-informed decision-making, getting this extra headcount may not be a problem.
For others, getting even one new analytics role may be hard.
Any other answers?
For those who like the idea of having analytics consultants but lack the potential to expand headcount, the solution is to see it as a task, not a job.
There are probably staff within the people analytics team (or elsewhere in HR), who have the skills to bridge the gap between analytics and the business.
Rather than have them take the lead on projects, you can bring them in to help with the initial phase of framing what needs to be done.
It may be that all that is needed is a helping hand to get analytics and the business on the same page.
Just identify these people and consider how this occasional task can fit into their job. This might require the support of the CHRO.
What else could you do
If there really is a disconnect between people analytics and the business, the main thing you mustn’t do is ignore it.
Although it’s a normal problem, it’s also one that won’t correct itself.
Creating a role of people analytics consultant is a good solution, but if that’s not possible then find someone who can step into the early stage of a project to get things on track and then step out again.
People analytics can be a frustrating role; finding a way to build a better bridge to the business will help ease that frustration.