In my previous post, I shared the mindset and framework I have used to think about learning new things. This post will show how I have applied what I have learned in my job as a Human Resource (HR) personnel. HR may not be a work that many will link to numbers, data, and digitalisation. Nonetheless, they can certainly be applied to HR to make HR a science more than an art. In this post, I am going to share with readers how I use 3 data tools for my HR work to make my work more efficient.
1. Data Cleaning with Python
The first data tool I use for my HR work is Python. Python allows me to join multiple tables efficiently once the code is out. An organisation may not have the relevant data all in place clean and ready for the analyses required. As such, the final datasets will need work before they can be used. Using Python has allowed me to combine files over and over again especially when there are updates to the original files downloaded. This saves time from having staff do VLOOKUPs manually.
2. Data Visualising with Tableau
If you have been reading my blog, you will have realised that my focus is mainly data visualisation using Tableau. Tableau is an effective visualisation tool to create data viz. The workforce information be easily transformed into charts from which answers can be found quickly. Charts can also be quickly filtered further to get the answers needed in record time.
3. Data Automation with VBA
Unlike the first 2 apps on top, VBA is actually accessible to all for use. A colleague can argue he or she does not have Anaconda or Tableau on their machine to work with, but they cannot say they do not have Excel to work with. The use of VBA allows me to fill in cells quickly. I have used VBA to reduce the time spent on copying and pasting. I will usually start with how I would work with the dataset if I am copying and pasting, and then I will find and fine-tune the code needed.
Conclusion
All in all, data tools have allowed me to turn HR into more about numbers than feelings in a time-saving manner. We have to note that HR may not be a traditionally profit-centric business unit, but we can be cost-efficient by saving time and being more effective at work while doing work in innovative ways as part of an organisation-wide cultural building.