HR in the world of big data

Big Data and how it's used within an HR department is vital to the organizations overall success as long as you don't eliminate the human element.

HR departments especially have to find ways to capitalize on the vast quantities of readily available information. Advanced metrics and big data analytics can ensure that the groups are making the best strategic decisions for the organization as a whole.

Hiring is the field that can be most improved by the inclusion of big data. According to the Wall Street Journal, some large corporations have already adopted a value-based approach. For instance, Xerox uses software to measure applicants' ability to thrive and accept direction for their jobs. The program classifies candidates by color – green for high potential, yellow for medium potential and red for low potential. The enterprise mostly hires people who fit into the first category but occasionally accepts applicants from the second one.

Of course, not everyone is willing to jump on the bandwagon quite yet. Dr. Wendell Williams, a candidate selection expert, believes that numbers don't paint a clear picture when it comes to abstract elements like potential.

"Big data might work for managing things and numbers, but how can it apply to something few understand, let alone manage and measure – like human performance? Human performance on the job is all about the specific skills used to get the job done," Williams told the Chicago Tribune.

Williams concluded that the application of dig data in hiring is a passing fad because there's a personal element that leads HR to bring the best candidates on board. The thinking is that people understand what makes a great employee better than software does.

Perhaps the most efficient way to incorporate big data into hiring practices is to use technology to support HR decisions, not make them outright. If a manager has two candidates who both seem like they have equal potential and qualifications, the software can be used to discern a statistical difference and uncover the stronger of the two. By combining analytics with the human element, HR departments can ensure that every new hire will be a great addition to the workforce and contribute to the company's objectives.