The Data and Measurement Issue - 16

MEANINGFUL
MEASUREMENTS
by Camilla Knott
I'VE SPENT OVER TWO DECADES thinking about different ways
to measure human and team performance for various reasons and in various
contexts. In my early days in the laboratory, I wrestled with anachronistic technology,
an eye-tracker that required a chin rest. Later, in classrooms, office environments,
and fields (treacherous at times...think snakes and " wait-a-minute " vines that stop
you from taking another step). I prefer the latter contexts to the chin rest situation.
From these endeavors, I learned that successful
measurement requires three things at a minimum:
1
2
3
UNDERSTANDING THE
" WHY " OR THE PURPOSE
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT
OF THE MEASUREMENT ACTIVITY
CLEARLY COMMUNICATING
THE PURPOSE AND IMPACT
It can be easy to forget that on the other end of measurements are people-the
ones who are measured, the ones who do the measuring, and the ones deciding
what to do about the results. Clearly communicating the purpose and impact in a
way that matters to your employees will make all the difference in their confidence
and trust in the process and the outcome.
PURPOSE
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW AND WHY?
It's important to understand why data are being collected. Understanding the
" why " ensures that measurement is purposeful-designed to meet your
intended outcomes and make a positive impact.
SPECIFYING WHY YOU WANT TO
KNOW WHETHER EMPLOYEES
ARE ENGAGED CAN HELP NOT
ONLY IDENTIFY THE BEST
MEASURES BUT ALSO CAN
GAIN EMPLOYEE TRUST
AND GAIN CONFIDENCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, what if you measured employee time spent on a task
by collecting data on their minutes of computer usage? The employee data
are abundant and easy to obtain; you just have to mine the data. You can
even visualize the data to highlight trends and insights, such as how much
time employees spend on their computers. Is this measure a good proxy for
engagement? Probably not, especially if your why-the purpose of your
measurement-is that you want to know about engagement for employee
retention and career development. In this case, surveys and employee
interviews are a better measurement tool, because you can put together
a more holistic picture about how your employees are faring in their jobs,
where they are thriving (and where they aren't), and how to keep them
engaged over time. At TiER1, we use a THRIVE index with clients to help
them understand how best to engage employees-by helping them thrive.
With access to big data and data mining techniques, it's easy to go on
a " fishing expedition " ; if you look hard enough you will find something,
and you're likely to find " evidence " that supports almost anything. I don't fish,
but I would imagine it's better to know where the best fish are than to explore
the ocean to find the fish (and not the sharks). Checking your thinking and
framing the measurement problem in advance can help you avoid this pitfall.
It can also help you get the most out of the big data sources you already have.
Let's consider employee engagement. Most organizations want to know if
employees are engaged in their work. Their " why " may vary from finance and
accounting to talent management (and beyond). These and other business
needs impact organizational outcomes in different ways.
The Data and Measurement Issue

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Data and Measurement Issue
