Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER October 17, 2016 FEATURES 15 HR METRICS Using analytics to boost productivity Subway, Movember Canada, Town Shoes see improved engagement, lower turnover By David Lahey D isturbing figures in a 2015 report on pro- ductivity confirmed a nagging feeling at the back of many business owners' minds for some time — Canadian la- bour productivity had been in steady decline for over 10 years, according to Statistics Canada. e agency also noted a widen- ing productivity gap between the United States and Canada. ese trends were confirmed by statistics, for the same period, from the Conference Board of Canada. And the numbers sug- gest Canadian leaders were not taking full advantage of employ- ees' abilities. Roots of productivity Many new hires decide their fu- ture with a company based on their onboarding experience. A good experience can be mutually beneficial for both the organiza- tion and the employee, providing stability for the organization and advancement opportunities for the employee. However, a negative experi- ence can be costly, in leading to employee turnover. is is why behavioural analytics can help create job descriptions, craft rel- evant interview questions, mea- sure candidates against specific behaviours required by the role and tailor employee-specific professional development and coaching. Paying more attention to the available data to clearly define both the role that needs to be filled and the workplace behaviours of the potential employee will al- low hiring managers to identify candidates who are truly the best fit for the position and corporate culture. Most organizations have some type of onboarding practice, whether formal or informal, to manage the transition from a "newly hired" to "fully embedded" employee. However, the strategies used, and the results, can vary widely. e following framework and examples can help organiza- tions to effectively engage and develop employees to ensure they become productive, long-term team members. Ensure alignment Using employee data collected during the hiring process allows organizations to structure the onboarding process so new hires quickly understand the business's goals and where they fit within the organization. By doing this, managers can quickly help em- ployees find their comfort zone and maximize the value of their key skills and natural talents. is approach helps to ensure success- ful integration with the company's corporate culture and reduces the risk of employee turnover. Applying analytics to his hiring approach, Harold Jackson, owner of several Subway Restaurant franchises, realized part of the reason for his employee turnover was due to placing new hires in the wrong positions. Jackson recalls one employee who was originally in a key customer service role. e data showed Jackson the employee was more suited to a behind-the-scenes position, so he moved her from customer service to food preparation. With this change, he noticed almost im- mediate improvement in the em- ployee's productivity and comfort level. By applying workplace analyt- ics across all his staff, Jackson saw turnover reduced by 50 per cent, which resulted in increased pro- ductivity and significant cost sav- ings as the amount of training for new hires was also reduced. Understand employee behaviours To properly onboard and inte- grate employees, managers need to understand the answer to one simple question: "What unique needs does each employee have?" Behavioural analytics answers this question by comparing work- ing style, management style and motivational factors. It also en- ables leaders to examine the em- ployee's basic drivers, including his perception of how he should perform at work versus how he actually performs. Knowing this allows a leader to motivate each member of her team by satisfying their in- dividual needs, which leads to GAIN > pg. 16 Pay more attention to data to clearly define the role.

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