There is no shortage of analytics options if one wishes to understand more about human resources. People Analytics, Workforce Analytics, Workstyle Analytics, Workplace Analytics, the list goes on. One could be forgiven for thinking there must be substantial overlap here, after all how much analysis can one do of a person’s contribution to the business.
This blog attempts to clearly define each of these types of analytics in order that the reader can make more informed decisions about the which category might best satisfy their requirements
People Analytics
The most recognized category and the one with the most mature tooling available. Originally born of the need to ensure that recruiting and talent development matched the strategic aims of the company, People analytics has evolved to address items such as retention practices and well-being.
Focus: Examines individual employee behavior, preferences, and experiences to improve talent management and employee well-being.
Key Data Sources:
• Surveys and employee feedback
• Performance reviews
• Engagement data
• HR systems
Purpose:
• Enhance employee experience and engagement
• Inform talent acquisition and retention strategies
• Develop personalized employee development plans
• Predicting flight risk for key employees
• Aligning employee career paths with organizational goals
Workstyle Analytics
Workstyle analytics concerns itself with how work gets done. It aims to identify at both an individual and group level the opportunities to improve workflow efficiency, collaboration and exploitation of digital tools, while protecting employee well-being.
As more work is done digitally, the signals in the noise of an organizations digital exhaust provide tremendous insights into how work styles can be enhanced for the benefit of all.
Focus: Examines how employees work on a day-to-day basis, including collaboration, communication, employee journeys and work patterns.
Key Data Sources:
• Digital tools (e.g., email, messaging apps, meeting software),
• Task mining
• Sentiment surveys
• Digital friction events
• HR Systems
• Software usage data
Purpose:
• Identify digital champions
• Reduce burn-out risk
• Identify bottlenecks in adoption of new digital processes
• Enhance collaboration and reduce work friction.
• Designing hybrid work models.
• Optimizing employee journeys and workflows
Workplace Analytics
Been redefined of late to address workspace planning. With the ebbs and flows of hybrid working, optimizing the design and sizing of current and future workspace requirements has become a complex task.
Workplace analytics, combines with data from Workforce Analytics to ensure future office space requirements matches the strategic hiring plans of the organization. Furthermore, as work styles evolve, workplace analytics ensure office layouts and facilities evolve to maximize the efficiency of office space designs
Focus: Analyzes how the workplace environment (physical or virtual) impacts employee behaviour, collaboration, and outcomes.
Key Data Sources:
• Office layout data,
• Occupancy sensors,
• Digital collaboration data,
• Surveys
• HR systems
Purpose:
• Optimize workplace environments for better engagement and productivity.
• Support decisions about office design, remote work policies, or resource allocation.
• Determining the ideal office space usage.
• Designing workspaces for specific team needs.
• Supporting transitions to hybrid or remote work setups.
Workforce Analytics
Workforce Analytics employs, statistical models, analytical techniques and business goals to analyse, understand, and optimize workforce-related decisions and operations at scale. It focuses on aligning human resources with organizational goals, improving efficiency, and predicting future workforce needs.
Focus: Analyses the composition, structure, and performance of the workforce as a whole.
Key Data Sources:
• HR systems (e.g., demographics, hiring, turnover, promotions),
• Productivity metrics
• Strategic business objectives
• Financial performance data
Purpose:
• Workforce planning and forecasting.
• Identifying gaps in skills or diversity.
• Managing workforce costs and aligning with strategic goals.
• Predicting turnover and its impact on operations.
• Evaluating the ROI of workforce investments.
• Planning headcount and resourcing needs.
Conclusion
While these fields overlap, the distinctions lie in their scope (individual vs. organization-wide) and focus (productivity and well-being, environment, workforce, or talent development). Organizations often integrate insights from all four to form an holistic view of their operations.
