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Workforce Analytics Without an HRIS Add-On: Building Attrition and Headcount Dashboards

Transform raw HR data into insights without breaking the bank

Dashira Team

Data & Analytics

|March 10, 20268 min read

Summary

Learn to create effective HR dashboards without costly HRIS modules. We'll guide you through exporting data from Workday, BambooHR, or Excel, setting up Dashira dashboards for headcount and attrition analysis, and ensuring privacy compliance. Tailor dashboards for different audiences and support your headcount budget proposals with data storytelling.

ELI5 — The Simple Version

Imagine you're trying to keep track of everyone in your company without buying an expensive tool. You have a list of everyone in a big table, like a giant spreadsheet. We'll show you how to clean up that list and turn it into colorful charts and graphs that tell a story. It's like organizing a messy closet into a neat display where you can see everything at a glance. And don't worry, we'll keep everyone's secrets safe while we do it.

Why HRIS Add-Ons Aren't Always the Answer

HRIS reporting modules can cost as much as a new hire's salary. Many HR managers find themselves drowning in spreadsheets, trying to track headcount and attrition manually. A Gartner report highlights that 40% of HR teams struggle with their HRIS due to cost barriers. Here's the good news: you can build insightful dashboards without those pricey add-ons.

Exporting Data: Your First Step to Freedom

Consider a mid-sized tech company that manually exported headcount data from Workday into CSV files every quarter. Their HR team spent 20 hours per month just organizing this data. Here's how you can do it faster:

  1. 1Export from Workday/BambooHR/Excel: Go to the reports section and choose 'Export to CSV'. Include relevant columns like department, role, and start date.
  2. 2Data Cleaning: Use Excel or Pandas to clean your data. Remove duplicates and standardize formats.

Building Dashboards with Dashira

Transform this clean data into dynamic dashboards:

  • Headcount Trends by Department: Upload your CSV to Dashira. Use the 'Line Chart' feature to visualize headcount over time. Segment by department for a detailed view.
  • Attrition Cohort Analysis: Create a 'Cohort Analysis' chart to see which employee groups leave the fastest. This helps identify retention issues.
  • Diversity Breakdown: Use a 'Pie Chart' to display diversity metrics by role level and gender. This visualization can drive diversity initiatives.
  • Time-to-Hire Funnel: Set up a 'Funnel Chart' to track time-to-hire by job family. Identify bottlenecks in your hiring process.

GDPR and Data Sensitivity

Before uploading data, anonymize PII like names and IDs. Use hashing algorithms or anonymization tools. A breach of GDPR can lead to fines up to €20 million.

Sharing Tailored Views

Different stakeholders need different views. Share a summarized dashboard with department heads and a detailed one with the board. Dashira allows you to customize access permissions easily.

Data Storytelling for Budget Approval

Use your dashboards to build a compelling headcount budget case. Highlight trends and projections. For example, show a 15% projected headcount increase to justify budget needs.

What Not to Do: A Data Disaster Tale

Avoid the mistake of a retail company that didn’t anonymize their data before uploading. They faced a GDPR fine and lost client trust. Always prioritize data privacy.

Conclusion

By taking control of your data and using Dashira, you can bypass costly HRIS modules and create meaningful insights. You'll save money and empower your HR team to drive strategic decisions.

Key Takeaways

  • 1Export data from Workday, BambooHR, or Excel into a clean CSV format.
  • 2Upload your CSV to Dashira to create dynamic dashboards for headcount and attrition.
  • 3Anonymize personal data before uploading to comply with GDPR regulations.
  • 4Customize dashboards to share different insights with department heads and the board.
  • 5Use data storytelling in your dashboards to build a compelling headcount budget case.

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