HR analytics and its moderating factors

Abstract

This theoretical paper elaborates the moderating factors of Human Resource Analytics (HR Analytics), which is seen as one of the top initiatives in HR today. It seems that analytics is taking the guesswork out of the decision-making process by offering a more data-driven approach. Although HR Analytics holds a high priority for most organizations, the implementing process is slow and only a minor proportion of organizations even even reports applying it. HR Analytics is not making progress as it is proposed by many academics in the last 10 years. Therefore, it seems to be necessary to identify the moderating factors of HR Analytics that promote or prevent its success. The number of academic research articles dealing with this topic is very low. The impact of moderating factors on the level of HR Analytics is vague and remains unexplored. This paper offers potential explanations for the relationship between the moderating factors and HR Analytics and provides suggestions for organizations on how to best address these factors. Within the first section of this paper the development and theoretical assumptions of a more data-driven approach to decision-making in HR is elaborated. Next, the concept of HR Analytics is going to be defined. The third section illustrates case studies and takes a look on how widespread the practice of HR Analytics in organizations already is. In the following each moderating factor is going to be examined in detail. Finally, the major findings of the topic under review are discussed and summarized.