Big data can be used in various industries, including HR. One of the biggest benefits of big data in HR is that it can help bolster employee engagement.
As 2023 approaches the final third of its year, the paradigm of workplace happiness is experiencing a deep shift, owing to tremendous changes in work dynamics, employee expectations, and technology breakthroughs. There are a number of ways that big data is helping human resources managers meet these goals.
As remote and hybrid work become the new normal, it appears that these developments are changing the basic fabric of how individuals interact and communicate. It’s about feeling respected, supported, and like one is a part of something more than merely clocking in and out.
We are going to cover some of the benefits of using big data technology to bolster employee happiness. However, it is first important to understand some of the biggest challenges HR professionals are facing, so they can use big data strategically. Cezanne HR investigated some of these issues and discovered the following:
What are the current drivers of workforce dissatisfaction?
Despite being content with their yearly income, only slightly more than 48% of employees in the UK and Ireland are satisfied with their jobs, with slightly less than 33% reporting they were either unhappy or severely dissatisfied.
These findings should raise red flags for HR departments. If 33% of employees in the UK and Ireland are unsatisfied with their jobs, firms are likely to have low productivity, low staff retention, and difficulty attracting competent new applicants.
When asked if they thought their company respected them and their roles, just 48% replied yes. Over 35% disagreed, while 17% did not agree or disagree. This is just another alarming figure for HR departments. Employees who do not feel appreciated would most likely disconnect from their jobs, pitch in less frequently, work slower, and take more unscheduled absences – all of which are detrimental to cultivating healthy employer-employee relationships.
Despite difficult economic conditions, less than half of employees (46%) thought that their bosses energised them to do their best at work. This outcome was significantly worse for respondents from organisations with 501-1,000 employees, with the majority (22%) indicating they neither agreed nor disagreed, and 38% disapproving.
Aside from employees believing their senior leaders were not doing enough to motivate them to perform their best, our poll indicated that just a thin majority (57%) believed their senior leaders contributed to a pleasant employee experience.
Almost a quarter of employees say their senior leader’s lack of communication is detracting from their job happiness. On the other hand, those who believed their senior leaders were not contributing to a pleasant employee experience blamed it mostly on inadequate communication (21%).
The majority (20%) of respondents who believed their senior leaders were contributing to great employee experiences claimed it was because they were given opportunities to grow and improve their own careers. A close second (19%) was soliciting and reacting to employee input, and third (17%) was concentrating on diversity, equality, and inclusion projects.
A lack of professional development possibilities was ranked second (18%) while failing to respond to employee input was ranked third (18%). Surprisingly, respondents aged 45-54 stated that a lack of career advancement was the most common reason (34%) why senior leaders were not contributing to a great working environment.
This demonstrates that firms cannot afford to disregard the demands and objectives of older employees, especially given the previous UK’s skills crisis.
How can senior leaders use big data to lead the charge in creating positive work environments?
Senior leaders should promote open and transparent communication. Big data technology offers a number of benefits in this regard.
To ensure that employees’ perspectives are heard and respected, they can hold frequent town hall meetings, one-on-one check-ins, and feedback sessions.
Big data technology offers a number of solutions that can help them improve employee happiness. One of the biggest is that big data helps them conduct surveys to better understand employee concerns. In the past, employee engagement surveys were relied upon, but big data provides more information. It helps identify high performers and those losing motivation. This allows employers to offer support and reward top performers. Big data helps prevent burnout and supports both high and average performers.
Big data technology also helps with improving decision-making. Trusting people to make decisions and take responsibility for their job is an example of empowerment. Senior leaders should transfer power, provide people autonomy, and provide direction when needed, allowing them to experience a feeling of responsibility and success. They can aggregate data on all of these functions to make more informed decisions.
Managers can advocate for employee well-being initiatives, such as flexible work arrangements, mental health services, and wellness programs. Leaders set a good example by really caring about their workers’ health and work-life balance.
They should demonstrate the behaviour and values that they demand from their staff. From punctuality to work ethic, their behaviours set the tone for the desired workplace culture. Leaders inspire people to follow them by demonstrating professionalism, respect, and devotion. It is critical to recognise and celebrate staff accomplishments.
Senior executives should develop recognition actions, convey gratitude personally, and give possibilities for promotion. Employees who are recognised feel appreciated, driven, and more linked to the success of the organisation.
Big Data is the Key to Improving Employee Happiness
There are many ways that big data has changed the workforce. One benefit is that it can help managers improve employee happiness.
The growing trends offer a template for organisations wanting to future-proof their employee satisfaction initiatives, ranging from flexible work arrangements that recognise individual lives to mental health care that feeds well-being. Big data technology can be an invaluable solution in this regard. Initiatives for diversity, equity, and inclusion inspire creativity and build a feeling of belonging, while technology-driven solutions provide smoother communication and increased collaboration.
Leaders, HR professionals, and every employee inside an organisation must work together to redefine workplace happiness in 2023 and beyond. They pave the way for an age in which people flourish, contribute, and find happiness in their professional life by embracing the revolutionary potential of these trends.
