Redefining HR using people analytics : the case of Google

Purpose: This paper aims to highlight the importance of analytics and its advantages in the human resource domain using the example of Google, which has extensively used analytics to improve various aspects of people management. Design/methodology/approach: The paper discusses human resource analytics and illustrates how it has been successfully implemented by Google to enable better decision-making. Findings: Implementation of analytics in the area of human resources can make people-related decision-making objective, transparent and data-driven and, thus, make the function “quantitative” in nature. Originality/value: Although analytics has been widely implemented in functions such as finance and marketing, it is yet to gain a strong foothold in the domain of human resources. This paper discusses how Google, a leading organization in the field of technology, has been able to take impactful people-related decisions with the help of analytics.