Strategic Analytics: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review

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HOW TO USE EMPLOYEE DATA RESPONSIBLY

by Ellyn Shook, Eva Sage-Gavin, and Susan Cantrell

In the wake of recent customer data breaches, companies are recognizing the need for more protections and transparency around the collection and use of customer data. But few have paid equal attention to the issues arising from the collection and mining of workplace data.

Companies have vast amounts of valuable data on work and their workforce, and executives recognize the opportunity to use this data to improve productivity and to motivate and engage people. But employees are skeptical.

We surveyed more than 10,000 workers, across all skill levels and generations, and 1,400 C-level executives, in 13 countries and 13 industries. We found that more than ...