IBM’s Kenexa suite taps big data for HR

• Combines social business, Watson Foundations and workforce science
• Organisations can streamline, modernise and add precision to hiring practices

IBM has announced the software-as-service (SaaS)-based IBM Kenexa Talent Suite, which it said allows chief human resource officers (CHROs) and C-suite executives to gain actionable insights into the deluge of data shared every day by their workforce.
 
Organisations would be able to streamline, modernise and add precision to hiring practices, increase workforce productivity, and connect employees in ways that impact business results, the company said in a statement.

Organisations around the world today are on a mission to identify and hire top talent, IBM said. By hiring precisely the right employees and then arming them with powerful social tools, businesses can more effectively manage and develop their workforce and put them into the position to succeed.

With the IBM Kenexa Talent Suite, human resource (HR) professionals can look at large volumes of employee data – such as work experience, social engagement, skills development and individual interests – to identify the qualities that make top performers successful.
 
Organisations and teams can then use those models to pursue candidates through additional targeted social marketing on social recruiting sites, where job-seekers matching the profile are automatically connected with opportunities matching their skills.

Customers can accelerate the onboarding and the integration of new hires through IBM Connections capabilities, the company claimed.
 
This helps employees share information and find the right experts to accelerate learning and increase productivity and engagement, while at the same time provide a way for leaders to more effectively manage their teams.
 
Through analytics and reporting, line of business (LoB) leaders can better understand emerging employee trends and more effectively manage each individual career path in areas like skill attainment, performance appraisals, compensation, succession planning and more.

“We know people are the lifeblood of an organisation, and business success on today’s stage requires not just talent but social capabilities that can energise, empower and nurture each team member so they can reach their full potential,” said Craig Hayman, general manager of Industry Cloud Solutions at IBM.
 
“By combining social, behavioural science and analytics in the cloud, we give businesses a clear path to empower their most valued asset – employees,” he added.
 
Interested customers can complement the suite with Watson Foundations, an integrated set of big data and analytics capabilities that enable clients to find and capitalise on actionable insights, IBM said.
 
Watson Foundations provides the tools and capabilities to tap into relevant data – regardless of source or type – and apply a full range of analytics to gain fresh insights in real-time, securely across an enterprise, it added.

Using Watson Foundations customers will be able to conduct a deeper level of analysis on key workforce-related data, identify trends within the workforce, predict future trends and proactively take action.
 
Executives can also look at the profiles and work performance of their top employees and determine the appropriate type of rewards needed to keep them engaged, IBM said.

According to an upcoming IBM C-Suite study that surveyed 342 chief human resource officers (CHROs) representing 18 industries, many businesses are not taking full advantage of the insights delivered by workforce big data and analytics.
 
The study found that just over half of organisations are using workforce analytics, with far fewer applying predictive analytics to optimise decision-making and outcomes in areas such as sourcing and recruiting (7%), employee engagement and commitment (9%) and talent development (10%), retention (13%).
 
The CHRO study also found that human resources executives are in the early stages of applying social approaches within the organisation. Currently, 66% are regularly using social for their recruiting efforts, but only 31% are using it for knowledge sharing and 41% for learning.

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