SHRM is latest org to offer people analytics credential

Dive Brief:

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has announced a new credential for HR professionals, the People Analytics Specialty Credential. The course provides participants with the knowledge of metrics and technology that support HR practices and the ability to make data-backed recommendations to their organizations, according to SHRM.
HR professionals can earn the credential without being SHRM certified. However, those who are certified and complete the program will earn 22 professional development credits toward recertification of their SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. SHRM members will pay $1655 for the credential, while non-members will pay $1930, according to the SHRM store listing.
The new analytics credential is valid for three years from the course’s completion date and can only be reissued, not re-certified, after completing a course update.

Dive Insight:

Such courses appear to serve as a barometer for what matters to organizations and the profession overall. As interest in people analytics increases, more organizations are working to train HR professionals on the tech's use. SHRM's announcement comes just weeks after the HR Certification Institute announced its "micro-credential" on the topic.

People analytics have a broad range of uses in many HR functions, such as hiring, human capital management and training. This makes analytics skills invaluable to today’s HR professional. However, while most HR professionals (95%) think that predictive analytics would help them advance their hiring and development initiatives, just a third have access to the technology, according to a 2017 survey by OutMatch, a predictive analytics firm.

According to another study by The Hackett Group, 33% of "world-class" organizations use digital technology to develop analytics capabilities, as well as improve the customer experience, move resources from low- to high-value initiatives and provide expertise and insights to business leaders. Upfront investment in the technology could be well worth the cost; HR professionals can be in the position of making data-supported recommendations that help organizations stay competitive and ready for the future.

However, a misconception about people analytics is that its 100% accurate, Erik van Vulpen, co-founder of Analytics in HR, previously wrote for HR Dive. Algorithm accuracy depends heavily on the data input to the system and on how outcomes are assessed. HR must also ensure that analytics are used in ways to forward business goals and add value to an organization, quantifying aspects of people management that can then be adjusted to improve experience.