Human Resource Intelligence—Enhancing the Quality of Decision Making and Improving Business Performance

Abstract

This chapter attempts to improve the understanding of how HR professionals can add value to decision making and improve business performance. We discuss human resource management (HRM ) practices , also known as high-performance work practices (HPWPs), and the role of human resource information systems (HRIS) and human resource analytics (HRA) in executing HR practices and workforce-related decision making. Based on our summary of the latest research, our findings suggest that where HRIS software can facilitate more efficient execution of HR processes by increasing the availability and delivery of HR information, HRA can enable the creation of novel insight into the impact of executed HR development initiatives, but can also identify new opportunities to improve the performance of key business activities. By starting from the identification of a business problem and then deploying appropriate descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive HR metrics and analytics to assist in solving the business problem, we find that HR professionals can create a level of value as yet discovered in but a few organizations.