WORK2345: Work and HR Analytics

Analytics is becoming increasingly important within human resource management, both as a practice area and scholarly discipline. This is reflected in the growing interest and demand for these skills and capabilities, often referred to as ‘HR analytics’, ‘people analytics’, or ‘workforce analytics’. This unit of study introduces students to current HR research and how the emergence ‘big data’, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly reshaping the way in which organisations manage their workforces and how work is organised, managed, and performed. The unit also explores specific aspects and application of how 'big data’ and AI are currently used by firms as part of their HR and workforce planning activities. The unit seeks to enhance students’ data analytics knowledge, skills, and competencies and improve their digital literacy skills to solve people management challenges in modern-day organisations. Students acquire analytical techniques to generate insights from different data sources, including HR metrics, payroll, and labour market data, to support organisations in making evidence-based people management decisions. The weekly topics and exercises provide students with the opportunity to hone their analytical and communication skills and abilities at a strategic and operational level, engaging with processes such as recruitment & selection, talent management, and workforce planning as well as other people management issues like employee turnover, engagement, and organisational productivity. The unit further explores the ‘dark side’ of HR analytics, critically examining issues such as workplace surveillance, and how organisations can be encouraged to use data in an ethical and socially responsible fashion.