HR leaders help drive business performance by delivering competitive advantage through people. Performance relies on measures, so you need to be adept at planning and interpreting your organization's "people metrics." This requires a solid grasp of HR analytics: the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data designed to improve decisions about talent and the organization as a whole. The use of analytics is changing the way HR professionals quantify the value that people—our biggest asset—have on the organization's ability to succeed in the market or in its mission.

In this course, based on the expertise of Cornell University Professor John Hausknecht, you take a strategic view of your organization's use of HR data and its measurement systems. The course prepares you to determine the HR metrics that align with your company's strategic goals. It explains the characteristics of high quality data and equips you to find and collect that data, inside or outside your organization. It provides a high-level introduction to common analysis techniques and some mistakes to avoid when interpreting data, or when assessing reports and interpretations offered by others. In the final section of the course, you will learn to take the results of your data collection and analysis and communicate your findings in a compelling manner so that change follows.

Your ability to think strategically about people analytics will help you capture and keep the attention of your senior leadership, and will support more informed, evidence-based decision making in realms that extend well beyond the human resources office.