Leverage Analytics to See and Harvest the Greatness in Others – An Interview with Amber Hurdle #SHRMPeopleAnalytics

 


 

I am thrilled to have the chance to interview Amber Hurdle, a former teen mom who evolved into a powerhouse businesswoman, and who has worked with international celebrities, Fortune 500 companies, and businesses worldwide. Author of The Bombshell Business Woman and upcoming Velvet Machete® Personal Branding, she is also a speaker, podcaster and Predictive Index Certified Advisor. 

Amber, what would you like people who are just being introduced to you to know about you?

I would want people to know that I sell science and branding, but I deliver confidence. When you are confident your employer brand is loved by your team and attracts the right candidates, you can move full-throttle towards your business goals. Then everyone is happy living out their distinct value in support of those goals.

In the description for your SHRM People Analytics Keynote Case Studies Session, “Demystifying People Data: How Science Can Help You Hire, Inspire and Retain Top Talent,” you say that companies must become savvier in their employer branding and engagement strategies and that using people data can help achieve this. First, what is “people data?”

“People data” can be a variety of things from lightweight, less scientific data like an exit interview. Or it can be like what I prefer to use: assessments that have scientific rigor backing them that produce things such as behavioral, personality and cognitive ability profiles or assessments that measure engagement.

Can you speak to what attendees will learn from your session?

I hope participants will quickly understand that collecting data to inform their people strategy is not as nerdy or scary as it sounds and that it can be a fun and rewarding experience for the people who get to exist in an exceptional working environment, not to mention rewarding for the organization’s bottom line.

Many of the attendees may be HR Departments of One, with a lot on their plate already.  What is one piece of practical advice you would give to someone thinking about applying people analytics strategies?

Empower your leaders with unlimited use! If your people analytics solution can’t be accessed and leveraged unlimitedly by everyone who manages people, it’s the wrong solution. People processes cannot be compartmentalized into a single department when people exist in all departments. HR can lead the employer brand standards and messaging, as well as be the ultimate keeper of the data. However, all managers need to be empowered to uphold the employer brand, to exude their unique personal brands so they can effectively lead and influence, and to leverage the analytics to see and harvest the greatness in others.

What’s the question you are most tired of hearing on this subject, and what would you like to say about it so you never have to answer it again?

I’m a people analytics nerd. I never tire of breaking down what may feel complicated into actionable, practical use. That said, I am often asked by already overwhelmed executives or HR professionals where to even begin. I advise starting with the greatest pain point. If there is excessive turnover in a particular role or if the company is fast-growing and needs to get new positions “right” so new hires can hit the ground running, then those are the areas to land, and then you can expand. Like anything, if you can alleviate the most urgent pain, you can start to work your way out into the rest of the organization with fewer obstacles consuming time and resources.

Besides attending the 2020 SHRM People Analytics Conference on January 14-15, 2020, what is the best resource for people who want to dive in deeper?

We have an 18-page ebook that talks all about uniting science and branding to amplify human capital potential. It provides tips & recommendations to recruit, interview, onboard & retain top talent, as well as provides money-saving ideas to maximize your human capital investment. It is all backed by expert research to avoid costly mistakes when recruiting & onboarding teams. You can download it for free at amberhurdle.com/unitescienceandbranding.

 

 

The SHRM Blog does not accept solicitation for guest posts.
COMMENTS 0

Add new comment

Please enter the text you see in the image below:
Image CAPTCHA