human resource metrics and workforce analytics have become a hot topic in organizations of all sizes interest is rising and organizations are reaching out to learn more about useful metrics and analytics although the use of HR metrics and workforce analytics is not new various factors are driving increased interest including the widespread implementation of integrated HR is first let's clarify definitions metrics are data numbers that reflect detail about given outcomes for example success in recruiting new employees analytics refer to the strategies for combining data elements into metrics and for examining relationships or changes in metrics metrics are the data that reflects descriptive detail about organizational outcomes or processes analytics refer to the strategies for combining data elements into metrics for examining relationships understanding these combinations helps managers to make more informed and better organizational decisions HR metrics and analytics comprise an information system and information systems can only have an impact on organizations if as a result of the information they receive managers make a different and better decision than they would have without that information no information system including HR metrics and analytics generates any return on investment unless managers change their decisions for the better if managers do not make different and better decisions as a result of the information reported to them the time and effort expended in conducting and reporting HR metrics and analytics is wasted a common form of reporting HR analytics data is in the form of a dashboard as you see here dashboards are an enriched component of reporting dashboards align real-time analysis of organizational and HR processes as well as an increased capacity to aggregate organizational data dashboards also contain business unit analysis to permit managers to drill down to examine metrics on several levels with the organization the dashboard allows users to maintain a current snapshot of key HR metrics notice how the dashboard here provides summarized graphical and tabular information for the executive which they will use to make HR and employee decisions