Human resources departments around the world will experience profound shifts during the next few years, and it's all being driven by a single factor – data.   

Just as data and the insights it provides has changed many areas of business, so it will change the way organisations recruit and manage their staff. The potential benefits for those that get it right are massive. 

So with the knowledge that HR must be able to show credible data relating to factors such as productivity, engagement, and performance, let's check out 3 critical elements that will feature in your journey as a HR Data Ninja. 

1.Data-driven recruitment and management 

Rather than using job descriptions, HR departments will increasingly focus their recruitment activity on staff profiles. These profiles will be based on high-performing people already within the organisation. What qualifications do they have? What experience do they bring? What personality traits do they possess? 

A new data-driven approach will also be taken for staff management. Rather than promoting people on personal intuition or pressure from managers, decisions will be based on data gathered about their actual performance. Who has consistently met sales forecasts? Who has suggested productivity changes? Who outperforms the average? Such data will be constantly gathered and used to ensure decisions are based on solid evidence rather than intuition or personal opinion.

2. Looking into the crystal ball: predictive analytics takes charge for performance management  

Ultimately, businesses want more productive employees. In an age where every dollar is important, raising employees' productivity allows you to get more output for the same investment to drive your business forward. 

In order to really utilise their employees' best skills, businesses will look at their workers' behavior more closely. Are they engaged, are they happy? What interests them to stay involved within the company? We will see that cloud-based systems will take talent and succession-planning data, to help predict and make intelligent next-role recommendations and connect employees with mentors to help prepare them for that particular role.

When it comes to performance management, predictive analytics can not only lead to the source of the breakdown, but also provide forward-looking insights that illustrate how an issue or employee may evolve. 

3. Scouting the players: businesses will get in the competitor game by identifying with consumers 

In 2017, Chief HR Officers (CHROs) have recognized that modern, intuitive application user interfaces and consumer friendly applications matter more than ever. While you can put a price on the cost it takes to integrate User Experience into your solutions, the value gained from providing a simple, intuitive interface is unquantifiable. This is why many CHROs are looking for ways to create quality experiences that will delight instead of frustrate employees.   

Digital solutions are your gateway to collecting and analysing quality data. So, through the information gleaned from your digital HCM software, businesses will be able to determine how to best align talent strategies to business objectives and remain a top competitor in the workplace. 

This has been an exciting, change-filled year. Through embracing the opportunities of data and analytics, the HR department of 2017 and beyond will become an even more vital resource for successful organisations. Here's to Data Ninjas! 

About the Author 

Yazad Dalal, Senior Director of HCM Strategy and Transformation, Oracle APAC 

 Yazad Dalal is the Senior Director of HCM Strategy and Transformation at Oracle Corporation, where he is responsible for developing thought leadership and identifying trends in all areas of human capital management. He works with HR leaders to deliver technology solutions that enable them to transform their organisations and modernise their workforce tools.

Prior to joining Oracle in 2015, Yazad was EVP, Asia, of TMP Worldwide, the world's largest independent HR communications and technology firm. He held various leadership roles at TMP in both the US and Asia, including Regional VP of TMP New York and General Manager of TMP India.

Yazad has spent nearly 20 years working in the human capital space, including senior positions at Vault.com, the leading career information resource for high potential students and young professionals, and at Monster Worldwide, where he led the Global Sales Development group.

As a human capital expert, he has appeared in Forbes, New York Daily News, Black Enterprise, CNNMoney, Crain's, NY1, and the Washington Post. Yazad is based in Singapore.