Coming soon · Book Profile
The Power of People - How Successful Organizations Use Workforce Analytics To Improve Business Performance
A practical guide for organizations to establish and leverage workforce analytics to make data-driven decisions about their people and improve business performance.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
In a world of Big Data and changing work dynamics, The Power of People argues that the HR function must become more quantitative to drive strategic value. This book provides a structured, practical guide for business executives and HR professionals on how to establish, lead, and operate a workforce analytics function. Drawing on interviews with dozens of global experts, it offers proven frameworks like the Eight-Step Model for Purposeful Analytics and the Six Skills for Success, along with real-world case studies, to help readers navigate the entire journey—from getting started with quick wins to building a lasting, data-driven culture that delivers measurable business impact.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- An HR executive, workforce analytics leader, or business executive who wants to transform the HR function from an administrative cost center to a strategic, data-driven partner that solves critical business problems.
- The problem
- The organization makes critical people-related decisions based on intuition or basic reporting, leading to costly mistakes, missed opportunities, and an inability to demonstrate the tangible business value of HR initiatives. The character feels frustrated and undervalued, knowing there's a better way to manage talent but lacking the clear framework, skills, and organizational support to implement a truly data-driven approach.
- The plan
- Understand the fundamentals of why workforce analytics matters and learn the Eight-Step Model for conducting purposeful projects.
- Get started by setting a clear direction, engaging stakeholders, and securing a quick win to build credibility.
- Build a long-term capability by systematically developing your team's skills, data infrastructure, technology, and operating model.
- Establish an analytics culture by enabling analytical thinking, overcoming resistance, and communicating findings effectively through storytelling.
- The payoff
- The reader becomes a respected, data-driven leader who makes evidence-based talent decisions. · The workforce analytics function is seen as a strategic partner that directly contributes to improved profitability, lower attrition, and higher sales. · The HR function is transformed into a proactive, analytical powerhouse that drives measurable business value.
See our guide
Related profiles we’ve built
- Beyond Hr Boudreau Ramstad →
- Compensating Your Employees Fairly →
- Handbook of Regression Modeling in People Analytics →
- Transformative HR: How Great Companies Use Evidence-Based Change for Sustainable Advantage →
- Work Rules! →
- The basic principle of people analytics learn how to use hr data to drive better outcomes for your business and employees →
Additional reading
- Jack: Straight from the Gut · Jack Welch
The book critiques the widespread, unthinking adoption of GE's '20-70-10' performance ranking system as a prime example of management fad-following, which talentship aims to replace with context-specific, logical analysis.
- Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game · Michael Lewis
Used as a key analogy for talentship. It demonstrates how a decision-science approach can identify undervalued, pivotal capabilities to create a competitive advantage, just as talentship aims to do for organizations.
- Work Rules! · Laszlo Bock
Written by Google's former head of People Operations, it provides detailed insights into how Google uses a data-driven approach for hiring and management, a core theme of this book.
- Data Strategy: How to Profit from a World of Big Data, Analytics and the Internet of Things · Bernard Marr
The author's own book, recommended for readers who want more detailed guidance on creating the data strategy that is presented as the foundational first step for data-driven HR.
- High Output Management · Andy Grove
Referenced in the book as an example of how to think analytically and build a business case for a management decision, specifically regarding the ROI of a manager training their own team.
- The Power of People: Learn How Successful Organizations Use Workforce Analytics to Improve Business Performance · Guenole, N., Ferrar, J., & Feinzig, S.
Cited in the book, this is a foundational text that aligns with the book's core theme of using workforce analytics to drive tangible business improvements.
- Human Capital Analytics: How to Harness the Potential of Your Organization's Greatest Asset · Pease, G., Byerly, B., & Fitz-enz, J.
Cited in the book and written by a pioneer in the field, this work provides a comprehensive view on human capital analytics, complementing this book's hands-on manual approach.
- Handbook of regression modeling in people analytics · Keith McNulty
The author's previous book, likely providing foundational quantitative skills for readers who are new to programming or data analysis in R.
- ggplot2: Elegant graphics for data analysis · Hadley Wickham
The definitive guide to the `ggplot2` package in R, which is the foundation for the `ggraph` network visualization package used extensively in the book.
- Stanford Large Network Dataset Collection (SNAP) · Stanford Network Analysis Project
A key public resource with a wide range of large network datasets, recommended by the author for further practice and exploration beyond the book's examples.