Data is increasingly central to modern businesses. Highly data-driven organisations are 3 times more likely to report significant improvement in decision-making, and a majority of companies are expected to be data-driven by 2025.
But what does that mean for staffing? While agencies are increasingly looking to utilise data to direct their workforce strategies, many are struggling to navigate the ethical and practical challenges it presents.
In this article, we explore three key ways data can improve your employee experience and boost your bottom line. But first, let’s look at the difficulties staffing data brings.
The dilemmas of staffing data
As organisations have adopted more digital technology, it has become far easier for them to monitor, track and analyse information on their employees’ performance. From shift tracking and rota generating software all the way to wearables and personal tech, there are numerous avenues for businesses to generate real-time staff data.
The benefits of utilising this data are clear. A recent report suggested that, if properly utilised, staff data could lead to a 12.5% increase in revenue - boosting efficiency, productivity and employee experience.
But there are serious concerns about how and why businesses access this data. 50% of workers reportedly think the use of new sources of workforce data risks damaging trust, while 61% said that recent scandals over data misuse make them concerned that their employee data might be at risk too.
Ultimately, this puts both agencies and employers in a difficult position. While the possibilities for using staff data are numerous, they must ensure they don’t overstep any boundaries. Accenture has found that 89% of workers are actually happy to have data collected on them and their work - but only if it improves their performance of wellbeing.
With this in mind, let’s look at three ways staff data can be used not just for the benefit of your agency - but your employees, too:
- Tracking fulfilment and absence
Data on shift fulfilment and worker absence may not appear particularly revolutionary. But with the right workforce management solution, it can provide invaluable insights and drive sophisticated decision making.
Once you have enough data of this kind, it becomes possible to detect underlying patterns in individual workers’ track records. This can help you understand their behaviour and optimise your agency’s performance.
A simple example: if a particular worker is regularly absent or late for shifts in a particular location or a particular time, you may alter the shift patterns you offer to increase their attendance.
This not only increases the fulfilment rates you achieve, but helps improve the experience you offer individual workers. And it can ultimately reduce the amount of staff churn you experience - because you can opt for more localised solutions, rather than simply letting underperforming staff go.
- Performance tracking
Most agencies track the performance of their workers, in order to ensure quality. But a data-driven approach to this will yield far more impressive results.
With relatively little effort, agencies can collect regular data on the performance of individual workers based on a range of metrics. This enables them to analyse their roster and they can allocate shifts based on a far more detailed understanding of individual strengths and weaknesses.
This creates a huge advantage for the agency, but it also offers multiple benefits for the worker. They will be able to target specific areas for improvement, helping to improve their performance over time. And they will likely have a more positive experience day-to-day, because they will be given shifts that play to their strengths.
- Digital timesheets
With geolocation and smart software, agencies can track workers’ timesheets digitally. The benefits of this for an agency are clear: it reduces paperwork and removes human error, ultimately saving time and money across multiple dimensions.
But it also benefits workers immensely. They are given greater freedom to simply login and start working; they avoid disputes over when and for how long they worked; and they feel more confident that they will be properly compensated.
Ultimately, the system is better for both parties - all with relatively little data having to be generated.
Rota makes data simple
Many agencies are struggling to make a smooth transition to a data-driven approach. And Rota’s total workforce management platform is designed to help.
It provides the technology and analytic capabilities required to generate robust staff data and turn it into actionable insights that drive real business results - from digital timesheets and shift scheduling to a sophisticated rating system which enables detailed performance management
To discover how Rota can help your staffing becoming data-driven, book your demo today.
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