HR Metrics for the C-Suite—Make HR’s Voice Heard!

HR analytics and metrics are highlighting the strategic value of human resources. Are you prepared to have the ear of the C-suite? Today, business consultant and frequent HR Daily Advisor contributor Bridget Miller has some tips for HR pros on presenting data to
executives.

HR teams are often tasked with creating the metrics and gathering the data that will drive business decisions. But how can an HR professional know which metrics to present? How should the presentation differ for C-suite executives?

Tips for Presenting to the C-Suite

We should start by understanding that the presentation matters almost as much as the data. When presenting to the C-suite, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Charts and graphs should be visually interesting, yet still clearly present the data points. A fancy chart is irrelevant if it takes too long to figure out what it’s trying to convey. Keep your visuals simple and ensure they clearly convey points or trends as intended.
• Be consistent. This advice goes for both presentation consistency and consistency in the data you present over time.
• Presentation consistency: If you’re presenting multiple charts with the same data (perhaps doing different comparisons, for example), be wary of changing key elements. If turnover is represented in red in your first chart, for example, consider representing it in red for all charts. This makes comparisons simpler and faster, with less room for error.
• Consistency over time: If you usually present turnover per quarter, don’t randomly switch to presenting turnover per month the next time you present the data—unless it’s requested, of course.

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• Focus on the metrics that the C-suite cares about. No one wants to have to scroll through pages (or sit through minutes) of a presentation of data that is not immediately helpful in decision making. This may mean creating entirely different data sets for the C-suite than for other managers, or presenting it in a different way. This point seems obvious, but is often overlooked by busy HR professionals who would prefer to simply present the same data to every audience. It’s important to assess the organizational (and sometimes, even individual) goals and discuss the metrics that relate to the key issues the executives are grappling with. Skip metrics that don’t directly relate to decision points.

  This may mean presenting the data in a new way. For example, rather than merely presenting data about how long it takes to fill a role (time to hire), present the cost involved, what has been done to reduce that cost, and how that cost relates to the revenue associated with that role.

• When applicable, put the data into the language your audience is accustomed to. In some cases, this may mean using terminology they’re familiar with, even if it’s not the preferred HR term. Try to put things into the terms that executives are concerned with (which often means tying financial figures to data points).
• Don’t forget about benchmarking and showing important trends. A data point means much more when there is a basis for comparison. Don’t assume the audience knows the benchmark level off-hand simply because they’re at the executive level. When possible, benchmark both internally and externally.

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• Be concise, but have data ready behind the scenes to back up your presentations. Be prepared to dive deeper on individual data points when asked—but don’t overload too much too soon if it’s not requested. For example, some executives may want to see turnover trends for the organization. Others may then want to see that broken down by department or see it presented over time. Still others may want to see the percentage of employees who left voluntarily vs. those who were let go. To best prepare, create your presentation with a high-level overarching viewpoint, but be ready to have other data to back it up, or plan on separate meetings with those that want to dig deeper.

  (Note: Getting into too many details with every data point can be counter-productive if it’s not asked for and doesn’t relate to a current problem on the table. Be clear on how deep the data should go to avoid bogging down the presentation unnecessarily.)

• Remember that the data points are typically the start of the larger conversation—not the end. Have some theories and plans in mind that make the data actionable and helpful in progressing toward organizational goals. The purpose of the data is to assist in decision making.

In tomorrow’s Advisor, Miller provides some sample metrics to consider for a C-suite audience, plus an introduction to the free webinar from Visier, The Case Against Splitting HR: How to Become a True Strategic Advisor.