News Spotlight

Generations are redefining retirement. retirement behaviors have evolved significantly across generations, shaped by varying economic conditions and personal values (Salon).

Employers face legal challenges. Navigating U.S. employment law in 2025 presents significant challenges for employers due to evolving legal interpretations and regulatory shifts (HBR).

Hybrid hierarchies create inequality. Flexible schedules is now primarily accessible to top talent, creating a disparity between elite employees and the broader workforce (Forbes).

Stat of the Week

A new study finds that 32% of talent acquisition professionals say their recruiting organization is not using or exploring the use of Gen AI in their hiring process.

HR should view this finding as a wake-up call and an opportunity to modernize their talent acquisition strategies. With AI rapidly transforming recruitment, organizations that fail to explore Gen AI risk falling behind competitors who leverage it for faster sourcing, better candidate matching, and improved efficiency. While concerns about bias, data security, and implementation challenges may contribute to hesitation, HR should proactively educate their teams, pilot AI-driven tools, and establish ethical guidelines to ensure responsible AI adoption. By integrating Gen AI thoughtfully, companies can enhance the candidate experience, reduce time-to-hire, and improve hiring accuracy, ultimately positioning themselves as more agile and competitive employers in a rapidly evolving job market.

Deep Dive Article

Leverage People Analytics to Align Goals and Drive Results

In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, data-driven decision-making has become essential for HR leaders, benefits professionals, and payroll teams. A new report by isolved finds that 91% of HR leaders reporting access to workforce data. This is why people analytics is emerging as a key investment area. Companies are turning to data-driven insights to proactively address turnover risks, track diversity goals, and improve employee satisfaction, ensuring that workforce needs are aligned with business objectives.

As organizations continue to navigate the challenges of talent retention, skills development, and hybrid work models, leveraging people analytics has become more than just a competitive advantage—it’s a necessity. The ability to access, interpret, and act on workforce data enables HR teams to make informed decisions that directly impact both employee experience and business outcomes. Companies that fail to harness these insights risk falling behind in attracting and retaining top talent while struggling to optimize workforce productivity.

Furthermore, the growing influence of AI and machine learning in HR analytics is transforming how organizations understand and engage with their employees. From predicting burnout and optimizing hybrid work strategies to fostering DEI, AI-powered people analytics is shaping a more agile, responsive, and employee-centric workplace. The challenge now lies in ensuring that HR teams are equipped with the right tools and expertise to translate data into meaningful action, driving both employee well-being and long-term business success.

Why People Analytics Matters in Today’s Workforce

The modern workplace is shaped by a combination of hybrid work models, evolving employee expectations, and a heightened focus on DEI. These factors present both challenges and opportunities for HR teams. By leveraging people analytics, organizations can navigate these shifts more effectively, tracking trends in real-time and making data-backed decisions that foster employee well-being and business growth.

HR, benefits, and payroll professionals increasingly rely on people analytics to:

• Monitor and predict turnover risks before they escalate.
• Measure employee engagement and well-being.
• Fine-tune hybrid work policies to optimize performance.
• Track DEI goals to foster a more inclusive workplace.

By transforming raw workforce data into actionable insights, HR teams can move beyond reactive problem-solving to proactive workforce management, ensuring their strategies align with both employee needs and company priorities.

Making Smarter Decisions with Data

One of the biggest advantages of people analytics is its ability to help HR leaders identify emerging workforce trends before they become major challenges. Real-time workforce data enables HR, benefits, and payroll professionals to detect early warning signs of disengagement, burnout, and turnover risk. Instead of responding to problems after they’ve impacted the organization, HR teams can implement timely interventions that keep employees engaged and productive.

The Role of AI in Workforce Analytics

AI has further revolutionized people analytics by identifying patterns that may not be obvious with traditional analysis. AI-driven insights can detect subtle shifts in employee behavior, engagement levels, and workplace satisfaction, allowing HR teams to:

• Spot high-risk turnover areas and take proactive retention measures.
• Personalize employee experiences based on data-driven insights.
• Enhance workforce planning by predicting future talent needs.

With AI-powered predictive analytics, HR professionals can anticipate challenges before they escalate, positioning their organizations for long-term success.

How Companies Are Using People Analytics to Drive Growth

For organizations that embrace people analytics, the benefits go beyond employee retention. Companies that successfully integrate data into HR decision-making experience stronger workforce engagement, increased productivity, and measurable business growth.

A case in point is QC Supply, a wholesale agricultural business that has seen impressive results by leveraging people analytics. Lisa Johnson, CHRO at QC Supply, highlights the transformative impact of isolved’s Predictive People Analytics:

“isolved’s Predictive People Analytics has been a game changer for us in improving our retention rates. We use it to feed data to get insights on time to fill, time to staff, diversity, turnover rate, new hire onboarding statistics, and even revenue per employee and cost of benefits compared to gross pay. With this data at our fingertips, I can proactively articulate to the executive leadership team the tangible costs of what turnover means to the company. This was not possible before.”

By harnessing key metrics such as turnover rates, onboarding effectiveness, and diversity statistics, QC Supply has transitioned from reactive problem-solving to proactive workforce planning, demonstrating the true power of data-driven HR strategies.

Aligning Employee Experience with Business Goals

People analytics doesn’t just help HR leaders optimize workforce management—it also plays a critical role in shaping a personalized employee experience (EX) that aligns with business objectives. By leveraging data, organizations can design HR programs that reflect employees' real needs, fostering a more engaged and productive workforce.

Key Areas Where People Analytics is Making an Impact:

1. Enhancing Employee Satisfaction & Engagement​
   HR teams can use engagement surveys, feedback tools, and sentiment analysis to identify workplace stressors and improve employee morale.
2. Optimizing Hybrid Work Strategies​
   By analyzing productivity and performance data, organizations can refine hybrid work policies to ensure employees remain both flexible and effective.
3. Supporting DEI Initiatives​
   Tracking DEI-related metrics helps companies hold themselves accountable for equitable hiring, promotions, and employee development.
4. Reducing Costs and Improving Retention​
   Predictive analytics helps HR teams understand the financial impact of turnover and invest in strategies that enhance retention.

The Future of People Analytics

As more organizations recognize the value of data-driven HR strategies, people analytics will continue to evolve. The next frontier of HR analytics includes:

• Advanced AI-powered decision-making tools for HR professionals.
• Deeper integration of predictive analytics to improve talent management.
• Increased focus on employee well-being metrics to enhance workplace satisfaction.
• Stronger alignment between HR initiatives and overall business goals.

According to Tanya Maldonado, HR Director at Right at Home in Home Care & Assistance:

“By leveraging advanced data analytics, HR teams can gain deeper insights into employee performance, engagement, and well-being. This will allow them to make more informed decisions and create personalized employee experiences. Predictive analytics can help identify burnout issues before they escalate, while data on productivity and work-life balance can guide the implementation of flexible working conditions and support systems.”

As businesses continue to face workforce challenges, people analytics will be essential for building a resilient, high-performing workforce that thrives in an ever-changing economic landscape.

Harness data to drive people analytics

People analytics is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity for organizations that want to stay competitive. By harnessing data, HR teams can proactively address workforce challenges, optimize hybrid work, improve retention, and drive business growth. Companies that integrate AI-driven insights into their HR strategies will be better equipped to navigate the complexities of today’s workforce and build a future-ready organization.

The key to success lies in aligning data-driven decision-making with employee well-being and business priorities. As more HR teams embrace people analytics, organizations will see higher engagement, lower turnover, and a stronger workforce positioned for long-term success.

Thanks for reading — be sure to join the conversation on LinkedIn and let me know your thoughts on this topic!

Quote of the Week

"Champions keep playing until they get it right."
​Billie Jean King