Dealing with political sensitivity
Politics plays a big role in many organisations. Analytics cannot be used as a basis for decision-making without the political sensitivities around it being brought under control, says consultant David Creelman.
4 ways to make managers accept evidence-based HR
Involvement
Managers want to be in control of their surroundings, and do not appriciate surprises. Involving them in analytic project as early as possible can have a massive impact on insuring their acceptance. You do not have to hand over the reins to them. But by making sure that they are involved and that they know that you listen to them as well as the data will help smooth the process of creating a work environment based more on evidence.
Support
Position analytics as a way to support leaders, not as a way to undermine the authority of leaders. Find out what leaders want to achieve and support that analysis with the data you've created, so they can make good decisions. Creelman adds that this support does not mean inventing figures or by distorting to support bad ideas. If analytics help executives, managers will stand behind the analytics.
Frame views as hypotheses
An important trick that Creelman learned is framing any opinions or beliefs as hypotheses. If a leader says, for example, “I believe that employees with a sports background are generally high performers,” you can have a problem if the data shows otherwise. You'll have to come back to this leader with the message that they are wrong. Instead, it is better to reformulate their view as a hypothesis. “I understand that you have an interesting idea. You want me to research whether a sports background is a predictor for above average performance. Good question. I'm going to get to work.” Perhaps the hypothesis is rejected, but the leader was not wrong. This has helped the organisation even further with an important finding.
Recognise that data is only one side of the coin
Sometimes data can lead to exactly the wrong conclusion. Accept that not all data is hard evidence, and that sometimes the experience and knowledge of a manager is important. After all, leaders must make decisions taking into account many variables. Data services can offer valuable support, but they are not infallible.
With more and more decisions being based on data, more support for evidence-based HR is also on the way. By taking into account political sensitivities within the organisation, the impact of HR data can be greater, concludes Creelman.