Understanding the Build vs Buy Dilemma in HR Tech (an Interview with Craig Starbuck)
May 7, 2024
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In this episode, David Green interviews Craig Starbuck, Head of People Analytics at Roku, discussing the decision to build or buy analytics capabilities in HR. Topics include aligning analytics with finance, integrating passive and active data at Roku, and insights from Craig's book. The episode also explores the strategic considerations vital for making informed decisions in HR tech.
Decision between building or buying HR tech impacts efficiency and effectiveness.
Collaboration between People Analytics and finance aids in data-driven decisions and strategic goals.
Deep dives
Importance of People Analytics in HR Strategy
People Analytics is considered a crucial component of HR strategy by 88% of CHROs, as revealed by Insight 222 Research. Leading companies in People Analytics focus on advanced analytics to address key business priorities, emphasizing the pivotal role of People Analytics leaders in shaping strategic decisions and building effective teams within organizations.
Critical Role of Technology in People Analytics
The decision between building or buying People Analytics technology significantly impacts the effectiveness and efficiency of HR functions. Through experiences at MasterCard and Robinhood, it is evident that using established vendor platforms for data infrastructure can expedite insights, enhance collaboration, and enable data-driven decision-making, suggesting that buying technology is often more advantageous than building from scratch.
Integration of Finance and People Analytics
Collaboration between People Analytics and finance departments is identified as a key element of successful data-driven decision-making within organizations. Access to financial data aids in correlating HR metrics with business outcomes, showcasing the importance of aligning data analytics with strategic goals and fostering cross-functional partnerships to drive organizational performance.
Future Evolution of People Analytics
The future of People Analytics is expected to involve more sophisticated methodologies to address complex organizational challenges. As AI technologies advance, the focus will shift towards leveraging AI for predictive analytics and experimentation to drive strategic decision-making. Additionally, enhancing data visualization and storytelling skills will be crucial for effectively communicating insights to stakeholders and influencing organizational outcomes.
As the world of HR and people analytics evolves, how can we best leverage the tools, insight and technologies available to us?
In this thought-provoking episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, host David Green sits down with Craig Starbuck, Head of People Analytics at Roku, to explore the critical decision every HR leader faces: should you build your analytics capabilities in-house or buy them from external providers?
Leaning in on his ten-year background building and leading people analytics functions to excellence, Craig discusses the benefits and challenges of each option, guiding listeners through the strategic considerations vital for making informed decisions.
But this is not the only topic of discussion. The episode also delves into:
The importance of aligning people analytics with finance to drive substantial improvements in business outcomes
Framing analytics insights in the language of the business to effectively support strategic decision-making
How Craig is integrating passive and active data at Roku across a multitude of use cases
This episode is proudly supported by Worklytics, a people-centric analytics solution that combines passive listening with Organisational Network Analysis (ONA) to help you understand how work is getting done.
Curious to see how it works? Worklytics is offering a free Collaboration Analysis to the first 10 qualified companies who express interest by clicking on the following link: www.worklytics.co/DigitalHRLeaders