Dear Members of this esteemed group,

Correct me if I’m wrong, in the various gamuts of HR functions I guess Reports and their subsequent Analysis is generally the weakest spot and hardly touched for any discussion.

Let’s take a typical scenario where there are loads of HR dumps like Monthly Manpower Report-Joining & separation at various verticals of Business, Staff Movement reports across various locations, Cost of Hiring & Training Report, Monthly Activity Report of HR operations at different locations, Attrition Report, Payroll Report, and so on and so forth.

Now what should be the strategic way of Analyzing these dumps – is there any set process? They can be analyzed against any parameters like - Cost, Time, % Efforts & Involvements, Turn Around Time, Efficiency. I need a structure for the same and would appreciate suggestions and discussions from the group. Is there any book available on Analysis Process and steps ?

Regards,

Bimal

Bimal,

As rightly pointed out we can have number of reports. It will be effective only when it meets the requirement of the line managers. Therefore sit with your line manager and understand what they want out of HR and which one they would like to be measured. Moment you get this the purpose for which you generate the reports will start making sense. In my opinion there are may ways in which analysis could be done. Ultimately the process line managers prefer will make sense.

regards
srini

Structured & Organized information relating to specific issues & developments need to be captured based on the need / purpose meant to be served in an it concerns the format & content of the report / statement & the intervals at which it needs to be updated. In short any informn /reports pertaining to issues /devpts in the HR sphere in an organization is to be prepared or generated to suit or support in decision - making or to develop awareness on any patterns or trends that could serve as an eye-opener or window for more detailed study / evaluation. Coming to Analysis, it depends again on what the information needs are. Certain standard data related to intake, forecast, attrition & retention of manpower are now part of the HR function anywhere. More important is what you intend doing based on such information - if attrition rates are low, would you like to maintain it by complementary innovative practices in enhancing employee satisfaction ? if the rates are high however, how high is it compared to the industry norm & what measures do you propose to take to bring this down? These are two simple illustrations to show that you will have to integrate your information needs & their interpretation(analysis)to the course of action / awareness that is to emerge in the management of the functions /business of the enterprise in the short, mid & long term. Just as financial ratios & reports serve to highlight certain aspects related to the financial health of a company, reports related to other functions including HR should serve a specific purpose. Their utility needs to be reviewed from time to time. Of course, there are certain reports & returns that are to be prepared under statute & here the intended purpose is limited.

Dear bimal,

You have raised a very pertinent topic for discussion.

Many a times, we notice that just because there was a precedent of generating a report in the organisation, we blindly follow the same without ever ascertaining for ourselves whether that particular report is a required one given the present situation of the company.

The literary meaning of the word "report" means "to make or present an often official, formal or regular account of ..." an event, a process or the status of a particular routine or task in the organisation.

For example, when we are generating a periodic report on Manpower - Joining & seperation, it is with a view to see which departments are having greater manpower turnover and to look into the reasons for the same with a view to eradicate / stem this turnover. Instead, if we just spend our whole productive time in preparing and submitting the report without actually looking to work on the same, then it seems that there is no serious effort being undertaken to actually look at organisation development.

I feel whatever reports we generate need to discussed first at the HR department level, alternate decisions arrived at and then put forth to the management for their study and recommendation for the best step to be taken in order that the organisation moves forward in its stated goal of realising the fullest potential of the associates working with it so that as a whole, the company benefits from increased productivity leading to increased profits.

Sadly, I feel that this is where a majority of the organisations are failing to fully grasp the importance of the HR department in helping the company to build that much needed potential to fully realise their corporate dreams / goals. Also, blame should also be laid on the HR people for not taking up the challenge of providing a report with the views of the line managers views on what is happening and what needs to be done to stay the same view or to overcome the problem. The day we do this, we might see HR being viewed as a more active member at the decision table than is the case now.

Warm Regards,

Jaswinder