In this second post we analyze the application of advanced analytical tools to another process of people management, i.e. the evaluation of employees for internal promotion. Here, normally, the company has more and better information about the person's professional career: periodic performance evaluation interviews, professional and personal skills assessment, development and training plans, opinion of bosses, colleagues and collaborators, etc.
But what, until now, was alien to the company's knowledge, was the activity of that person outside the strict scope of his or her function within the organization. That, in most cases, will be information that contributes little or nothing to change their personal or professional qualification for promotion. But that, in some exceptional cases, it may provide information that is worth looking at in depth to be able to evaluate its possible impact on the future responsibilities of this person.
A simple example will help you understand this better: let's say we are evaluating a number of internal candidates for a position of Purchasing Manager. If from the analysis by means of "intelligent graphs" of the relationships of one of those people in the different social networks (Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter,...) we find some connections with relevant executives of supplier companies (current or potential) beyond what would be reasonable in a strictly professional environment, you can light up an "aspect to investigate" notice. Which does not mean that it is always negative, but that "it is better to prevent...".
The profitability in the case of a selection process is clear: greater "guarantee of success" in the incorporation of that person to the organization and in his future performance (sensu contrario: the costs that would imply to have to initiate again a process if the candidate finally reveals himself as inappropriate).
In the case of internal promotion, we can agree that, in most cases, it will only be a way of reaffirming, as we have said, the initial qualification of most candidates. But just being alerted to the possibility of a conflict in one case, depending on the responsibility of the position, can save a lot of money (and displeasure) to the company.
There is no doubt that all these actions of the company must comply, as we said, with the requirements of the RGPD and be framed within an ethical framework of good practices.
In short: it is well to realize that perhaps we have been "talking in prose for many years without knowing it". But knowing the possibilities of the new advanced data analysis tools applied to the processes, let's say traditional, of people management, is not an option. It is necessary. And it is profitable.
