On occasion you’ll find a CEO willing to admit that they trust their gut more than the big data that is fed to them. There’s no surprise in this because we know that sometimes ego feeds the executive process. At the same time, the top CEOs at the top corporations individually advocate for more data, better refined, and universally accessible. Their interest in the power of data and analytics is evolving, and now the c-suite has yet another button to press on Human Resources. Your tech mastery had better be as high as your CEO’s HRIS IQ.
Here’s what has happened.
People competing for chief executive roles are coming from a new generation. “Generation” is not just an age issue. They come from an education and experience with different management values and mechanics. Pragmatic and analytic, they matured after 9/11 and shaped their career potential throughout the financial crisis of 2008.
They do not expect to use landlines, store info on CDs, or unfold a map. They think information is boundless and access is unlimited. And, they do not like to lose touch.
Are CEOs smarter than ever?
If CEOs feel they ride the crest of the tech wave, they need to ready themselves for even more explosive growth in dependency on technology. Start-ups anticipate yet another age in the nature of work with advanced processing and storage capacity redefining even the work of professionals, services, and managers. You have got to believe they are still paddling in place trying to stay ahead of the wave.
Nonetheless, qualified executives take the power data and analytics for granted in ways their predecessors did not. It does not make them smarter, but they are abled in different ways. They have seen their peers move on with the force of big data behind them.
Every major business leader model scores highly among the tech savvy. The new generation of CEOs has partnered towards the subjugation of finance, operations, and R&D through information technology. And, they are close to mastering inbound and outbound marketing.
Where does this leave HR?
It exposes Human Resources management to accelerated pressures to match those accomplishments.
According to CEO.com, “the majority of executives agree that big data will play a valuable role in the organization’s future.” In an SHRM article, Kathy Gurchiek quotes Matt Ferguson of CareerBuilder: “HR is the new frontier for data science applications in business.” Ferguson notes, “CEOs are looking for HR to be just as data-savvy and digitally savvy as other areas of the company and take quick, measurable actions that move the business toward its goals.” It is fast becoming incumbent on HR leadership to:
- Design and implement actionable talent data to move and satisfy the organization’s needs.
- Offer data-based initiatives to cut costs and better use the labor force.
- Collaborate and lead peers and functions to analyze and solve people performance problems.
So?
While Human Resource Information Systems continue to house and administer HR data, more is expected than numbers, records, and reports. HRIS has demonstrated its ability to handle large volume, but “big data” has come to be understood as a dynamic resource.
For example, HRIS has proven its ability to record and administer the work life of an employee from start to finish. But, that same data contains a wealth of information on which to recruit. That work life reveals how well suited an employee was for the work, what characteristics helped and what failed, and the progress that might be expected over time. It uses history to match candidates with work and predict performance and motivation response.
As your CEO’s HRIS IQ goes up, you can assume increased expectations. Treating these expectations as opportunities will advance your position as well as the wealth of your human capital.
