Leadership with data: improving people management through People Analytics, leadership, and Workforce Planning

People management has significantly evolved in recent years, primarily driven by the introduction of people analytics and workforce planning. These advancements, coupled with effective leadership, are transforming the approach of public and private sector organizations toward human capital. This editorial examines how the integration of these tools presents a unique opportunity for organizations to optimize operations and proactively adapt to dynamic changes in the business and social environment (Chowdhury et al., 2023).

People Analytics (PA) has surfaced as a groundbreaking tool, empowering organizations to convert vast amounts of human resources data into strategic insights (Garcia-Arroyo & Osca, 2021). In the private sector, these insights aid in identifying trends, forecasting future talent needs, and enhancing efficiency and productivity. In public administration, PA can improve resource allocation, foster equity and transparency, and meet the demands of agencies and units more efficiently. The capability to analyze and interpret data on employee performance, engagement, and turnover is fundamental to any contemporary people management strategy (McCartney & Fu, 2022).

Leadership assumes a pivotal role in the implementation of PA. Leaders must comprehend the data and translate it into tangible actions. In the public sector, this implies making data-driven decisions that positively influence service delivery. In the private sector, leadership must leverage these insights to spur innovation and sustain a competitive edge (McCartney & Fu, 2022). Effective leaders cultivate a data culture, promote continuous learning, and adapt to trends discerned through PA.

Workforce Planning (WFP) is crucial to ensure that public or private organizations are prepared for future talent demands and shifts in the job market. The integration of WFP and PA facilitates a deeper understanding of current and future skills needs, enabling the implementation of proactive talent recruitment, development, and retention strategies. This strategic approach assists organizations in anticipating changes, minimizing risks, and capitalizing on opportunities for growth and innovation (Tursunbayeva, Pagliari, Di Lauro, & Antonelli, 2022).

While PA and WFP offer many opportunities, they also present unique challenges for both sectors. Data privacy and bureaucratic and budgetary constraints are some of these obstacles in the public sector. In contrast, the challenges faced in the private sector are the rapidly changing market dynamics and the need to align people management strategies with constantly evolving business objectives. Innovative and adaptable leadership is crucial to navigating these barriers and implementing people management strategies that are flexible and aligned with organizational goals (Luciano, Nahrgang, & Shropshire, 2020).

Moving towards more strategic and data-based people management: The adoption of PA and WFP signifies a shift towards a more strategic and data-driven approach to people management. This approach enables organizations to respond to changes, anticipate, and prepare for future trends and challenges. Effective leadership is crucial in ensuring that the insights generated by these tools are translated into actions, leading to a more engaged, productive, and satisfied workforce.

Organizational culture plays a vital role in successfully integrating PA and WFP. A culture that values transparency, continuous learning, and innovation is essential to maximize the opportunities offered by these tools. This includes creating an environment where data is not only accessible but also understood and used ethically and effectively across all levels of the organization (Tursunbayeva et al., 2022).

Leaders and managers are responsible for embracing and integrating these tools into their people management practices. This means to be committed to ongoing training in data analysis and leadership skills development, ensuring their ability to lead effectively in a data-driven work environment.

Organizations that effectively integrate PA, leadership, and WFP will be better equipped to face future challenges and seize opportunities that emerge in a rapidly evolving business and social environment. They will be able to adapt more swiftly to changes, maintaining competitiveness and relevance.

This integration represents more than a trend. It is a strategic necessity for long-term success and sustainability in both public and private sectors. Organizations that recognize and adopt this synergy will be at the forefront of innovation in people management, poised to thrive in the new era of work.

In this special issue, we focus on rethinking and redesigning leadership and governance structures and practices in the contemporary organizational context. The selected articles broaden our theoretical and practical horizons, challenging traditional perceptions and proposing new critical and analytical perspectives. Through a combination of theoretical and practical research and a multidisciplinary lens, this collection of work offers valuable insights for leaders, academics, and practitioners in the field of management.

The opening article by Juliana Mansur, Gustavo Tavares, Urszula Lagowska, and Liliane Furtado, “Leadership: revisiting and reframing the big questions on theory and practice,” sets the tone for this issue. By highlighting the need for more in-depth and rigorous research into leadership, the authors invite the academic community to explore this complex phenomenon using new methodologies and conceptual frameworks.

In line with the discussion, Birgit Schyns, Iris K. Gauglitz, Marlies Veestraeten (in memoriam), Steffen Nestler, and Annabel-Mauve Bonnefous explore the dynamics between narcissism and early career work relationships. They examine how narcissistic traits affect leader-member and member-member exchange, offering valuable insights into managing complex personalities in organizational settings and highlighting the impact of the workgroup size on these dynamics.

Vicente Reis Medeiros, Caroline Bastos Capaverde, Ana Clarissa Matte Zanardo dos Santos, and Éder Henriqson bring a phenomenological approach to leadership studies. They propose that the experience of leaders and followers can reveal fundamental aspects of the nature of leadership, which positivist methods may neglect. This philosophical approach enriches the field by highlighting the importance of subjectivity and the relationship between leaders and followers.

Bruno Felix and João Santana, in their article on paradoxical leadership, investigate how leaders respond when their identity is threatened. The authors examine coping strategies that range from defending one’s identity to altering the meaning of identity. This study offers a new understanding of how leaders can maintain or reshape their selves in the face of challenges.

Neuroleadership is the subject of the work of Kelly Guarnier and Paula Chimenti. The authors conduct a systematic and integrative review to understand how underlying neural and cognitive processes influence leadership practices. They suggest a theoretical framework integrating different research approaches, thus enhancing organizational leadership development.

Shalimar Gallon, in turn, proposes an expatriation model that outlines people management policies and practices. Thus, recognizing the diversity of practices that emerge in response to expatriation needs, the author provides a practical guide for organizations seeking to internationalize their operations effectively and humanely.

Mário Menezes and Luciano Mendes seek to unveil silence, silencing, and complicit silence as mechanisms that perpetuate racism within organizations. This challenging work promotes critical reflection on organizational practices and offers ways to break cycles of structural racism.

Maria Fernanda Rios Cavalcanti and Andre Luis Silva pay tribute to Maria Ester de Freitas by revisiting her pioneering work in organizational studies in Brazil. The authors highlight her critical legacy and the incorporation of “Brazilianness” in organizational studies, reinforcing the relevance of culturally sensitive approaches in research.

Djeison Siedschlag and Jeferson Lana offer an integrative view of the effect of social activism on organizations. They highlight the role of social movements and stakeholder activism in corporate change and investigate how organizations respond to these external pressures.

In Case Studies & Teaching cases, Poliana Eliza Pinotti Zimermann, Jailson Lana, Marcos Aurélio Batista, and Raul Beal Partyka discuss the strategic dilemma of the company ZM S/A in the context of digital transformation. Mel Girão and Lilian Melo Barreto analyze the “accounting inconsistencies” found at Americanas and emphasize the importance of ethics and corporate governance.

Finally, Willams da Conceição de Oliveira, Márcio André Veras Machado, and Adriano Leal Bruni explore accounting flaws and earnings manipulation in the case of CVC S.A., encouraging a rich discussion on conflicts of interest and highlighting the need for robust internal controls to prevent financial fraud.

These articles constitute a basis for a renewed debate and reassessment of organizational leadership and governance. They highlight the need for innovative and socially responsible approaches to contemporary challenges. We invite our readers to delve into these reflections and contribute to the continued advancement of our field.

We wish you a pleasant read!

REFERÊNCIAS

• Chowdhury, S., Dey, P., Joel-Edgar, S., Bhattacharya, S., Rodriguez-Espindola, O., Abadie, A. Truong, L. (2023). Unlocking the value of artificial intelligence in human resource management through AI capability framework. Human Resource Management Review, 33(1), 100899. Recuperado de https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2022.100899
  » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2022.100899
• Garcia-Arroyo, J., & Osca, A. (2021). Big data contributions to human resource management: a systematic review. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32(20), 4337-4362. Recuperado de https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2019.1674357
  » https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2019.1674357
• Luciano, M. M., Nahrgang, J. D., & Shropshire, C. (2020). Strategic leadership systems: Viewing top management teams and boards of directors from a multiteam systems perspective. Academy of Management Review, 45(3), 675-701. Recuperado de https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2017.0485
  » https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2017.0485
• McCartney, S., & Fu, N. (2022). Bridging the gap: why, how and when HR analytics can impact organizational performance. Management Decision, 60(13), 25-47. Recuperado de https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-12-2020-1581
  » https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-12-2020-1581
• Tursunbayeva, A., Pagliari, C., Di Lauro, S., & Antonelli, G. (2022). The ethics of people analytics: risks, opportunities and recommendations. Personnel Review, 51(3), 900-921. Recuperado de https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-12-2019-0680
  » https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-12-2019-0680

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  08 Jan 2024
• Date of issue
  Nov-Dec 2023