HR managers must be able to show how workforce measures can impact the organization's bottom line. Analytics can help transform HR from an operational function into a strategic resource by quantifying its impact. Unfortunately, analytics are often not used effectively: "That's the goal, but the reality often falls short. 'Most people use data the way drunks use the lamppost: for support rather than for illumination,' says Alexis Fink, Intel's Portland, Ore.based general manager of talent intelligence and analytics. HR, she believes, should focus less on responding to decisions that have been made and more on training executives 'to come to you further upstream, to influence the decision.' For that to happen, HR needs to have a better grasp of how metrics and analytics work." - Mark Feffer, 9 Tips for Using HR Imagine that you are the new HR director of a company. You are determined to establish HR as a strategic partner. One way you plan to do this is by developing effective analytic measures to describe, predict, and evaluate the quality and impact of HR practices. Read the article Enabling business results with HR "Measures That Matter." Imagine that your company is currently at level 1,2 , or 3 (your choice). Write a business brief for leadership in which you propose ways to take the company to the "next level" by using analytics more effectively. Set your business brief in an industry you are familiar with. Feel free to make up details as needed, including the organization's strategy and goals. If you need help imagining what the strategy and goals might be, view Examples of Strategic Objectives. - Summarize the importance of measuring the effectiveness of HRM activities through workforce analytics. - Choose at least 10 analytical measures that you propose using. - For each measure, explain how it will be used to describe, predict, and evaluate the quality and impact of HR practices. - Justify why you chose each measure. Explain why this information will be useful in strategic decision making