During his nearly 20-year career at ABN AMRO, Patrick Coolen held various senior HR roles. More then half of this, time his focus was on HR and data as Global Head of HR Advanced Analytics, Workforce Management, HR Dashboards and Survey Management. “Back then, we started with modeling, using statistics and machine learning to better understand which HR factors impact business goals. Eventually we added the reporting landscape and things like survey management, continuous employee listening programs and strategic workforce management. Basically all the products and services that HR works with that have something to do with data and insights. At KennedyFitch, I advise organizations on how to integrate these tools in their HR practices.”
Pursuing a PhD
Patrick became so taken with HR and People Analytics that he wanted to delve deeper into the subject. “That led to my PhD research at Tilburg University, in which I study the adoption and institutionalization of advanced people analytics within larger companies. I want to understand what factors cause an organization to succeed in implementing people analytics into their HR practices. In my presentation, I’ll share insights from my research combined with my extensive practical experience. Among other things, I will discuss where we are now in the field of people analytics and talent intelligence and where I think it should be heading.”
Talent intelligence: a necessity
Patrick is adamant that larger organizations can’t afford to delay implementing talent intelligence. “As an organization, why not do everything possible to understand your workforce, how your people feel, what their ambitions are, how to better assemble teams, what leadership styles are out there, what their influence is on sales? Who wouldn’t want to know that? It allows you to make faster and better decisions. People analytics provides insights that help you hire people with the right skillset and influence goals like sales, client growth and market growth, but it also helps with things like fraud detection and increasing engagement. Ultimately, people analytics is not just about organizational goals, but also about the well-being of employees, about their optimal place within the bigger picture.”
ROI guaranteed
“The good news,” Patrick adds, “is that you don’t need to invest heavily to get started with people analytics or talent intelligence. All you need is a data scientist and HR data to link together. If you hit the mark even once, you’ll have repaid the entire department’s investment for ten years! The important thing is to start one step at a time. It’s not about who has the best AI tools or the most data. Your organization needs to grow with the process. Make sure you have the right skills and that what you are exploring is relevant to your organization. Think of it as a roadmap, where you gradually improve in applying talent intelligence. In my presentation, I’ll focus on how to practically implement talent intelligence, step by step.”
Join the Global Talent Intelligence Conference
Patrick Coolen will share his insights at the upcoming Global Talent Intelligence Conference held in Amsterdam from September 23 to September 25. For those interested in staying ahead in the competitive talent landscape, this conference is a must-attend. Sign up now to gain invaluable insights from leading experts in the field and discover how Talent Intelligence can revolutionise your organisation’s approach to human capital management. The tickets are almost sold out.
