Lies, Damns Lies, and Metrics – – With Apologies To Mark Twain – – Part III

In my last two posts, I introduced the importance and use of metrics in the running of the HRM business and it’s HRM delivery system (HRMDS).  I then introduced my HRM domain model to provide a precise and consistent terminology for the HRM processes when discussing HRM and HRMDS metrics (or any other aspect of or delivery method for HRM).   Having now set up your metrics spreadsheet, as recommended in my last post, with the domain model’s processes defining the columns, we’re ready to set up the rows.

For these, I’m proposing an HRM metrics taxonomy which goes from easiest to develop but furthest removed from achieving business outcomes to most difficult to develop but most directly related and important to achieving business outcomes.  The proposed taxonomy, therefore the rows in your spreadsheet, are going to be:

• HRM administrative process activity metrics;
• HRM strategic process activity metrics;
• HRM administrative process outcome metrics;
• HRM strategic process outcome metrics;
• HRM administrative process activity pattern recognition metrics;
• HRM strategic process activity pattern recognition metrics;
• HRM administrative process outcome pattern recognition metrics;
• HRM strategic process outcome pattern recognition metrics;
• HRM administrative process activity pattern prediction metrics;
• HRM strategic process activity pattern prediction metrics;
• HRM administrative process outcome pattern prediction metrics; and
• HRM strategic process outcome pattern prediction metrics.

In Part IV of this series on metrics, we’re going to explore in detail what each of these types of metrics is used for and provide examples for each of them across the HRM domain model.  While it’s fairly easy to suggest universally useful metrics for HRM administrative process activities and even administrative process outcomes, the more strategic and/or higher level metrics are really difficult to generalize — and that’s where the heavy analytical lifting by HR leaders and HRM process specialists comes in.  But to get us started understanding and using the taxonomy, here are some examples within the process Staff the Organizational Structure:

• HRM administrative process activity metrics — Number of unsolicited expressions of interest in working in our organization received through the career section of our public Web site during November, 2009;
• HRM strategic process activity metrics — Number of unsolicited expressions of interest in working in our organization received through the career section of our public Web site during November, 2009, who took our Web site’s initial screening questions;
• HRM administrative process outcome metrics — Number of unsolicited expressions of interest in working in our organization received through the career section of our public Web site during November, 2009, who passed our Web site’s initial screening questions and were, therefore, referred for recruiter followup;
• HRM strategic process outcome metrics — Number of unsolicited expressions of interest in working in our organization received through the career section of our public Web site during November, 2009, who passed our Web site’s initial screening questions at such a high level as to have been referred for followup to our high potential recruiter;
• HRM administrative process activity and outcome pattern recognition metrics — Percentage of unsolicited expressions of interest in working in our organization received through the career section of our public Web site during November, 2009, who passed our Web site’s initial screening questions and were, therefore, referred for recruiter followup which were from individuals asserting that they had been awarded an MBA between 1990 and 1995 from the list of MBA programs whose holders among our onboard staff have risen most rapidly through our management training program; and
• HRM strategic process activity and outcome pattern prediction metrics — Number of unsolicited expressions of interest in working in our organization received through the career section of our public Web site during November, 2009, who passed our Web site’s initial screening questions at such a high level as to have been referred for followup to our high potential recruiter, who detected that, while 59% of them had been awarded an MBA between 1990 and 1995 from the list of MBA progrms whose holders among our onboard staff have risen most rapidly through our management training program, these high potential “readings” are turning up increasingly among both MBA and M.S. Engineering graduates of several Indian universities that had not been represented previously in our qualified yet alone highly qualified applicant pool, and which graduates are needed in increasing numbers to staff our startup Indian shared services unit.

The bottom line. Stay with me as these columns continue to define the different categories of metrics and provide examples across the HRM domain model. But first a word of warning: never agonize over how to categorize a particular metric; just put it somewhere reasonable so that you don’t lose a good idea.  And don’t hesitate to collapse categories, as I’ve done for the last two above, to simplify the examples.