People Analytics vs HR Analytics: What’s the Difference?

People analytics is a concentrated skill of human resources (HR) analytics. In the rising data-driven analytics climate, you can’t be in the human resource field without the skills of a people analyst as well. Sometimes, the two titles overlap or are used interchangeably however there are actual differences between the two. 

In this article, we’ll discuss the difference between people analytics and HR analytics, as well as the growth of both in business.  

What is People Analytics?

People analytics involves the skill of analyzing people’s occupations. People analysts research areas such as, why workers stay at their job, why workers quit and the culture of the workplace. Workforce data and business outcomes are key research interests for people analysts because employees are a main attribute to a business’s success.  

Common employment responsibilities for people analysts include: 

• Data visualization
• Employee surveys
• Predictive analytics
• Project management
• Data storage and management

Although people analytics is a fairly new job title, it’s been part of human resources in a small capacity historically. Research has shown that the culture of a workplace is important, especially when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion, for retention and productivity. So, people analytics has gained popularity and necessity due to more employers taking employee culture seriously.  

People analytics is a growing field, especially with the rise of data analytics in the workforce. HR analytics may involve some aspects of people analytics, but it is a different role.  

What is HR Analytics?

HR analytics involves reporting on human resource trends such as recruitment, staffing data, and the hiring process. The data human resource analysts collect, analyze and report on help businesses make impactful decisions. Human resource analysts help with the overall strategy of an organization. 

HR analytics responsibilities may involve:

• Assessing and managing data statistics
• Creating surveys and analyzing responses
• Collecting and compiling human resource metrics
• Collecting and analyzing performance and outcome measures

HR analysts are a subset of human resource specialists. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, human resource specialists’ employment is predicted to grow by 8% through 2031. The average salary for an HR analyst is $60,942.

A main part of the HR analytics career involves analyzing workforce outcomes such as employee retention, productivity, and work culture. If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, then perhaps a career in HR analytics could be for you. Throughout their career, HR analysts can move into roles like lead analyst, senior human resource product manager, human resource reporting analyst, etc.   

The Growth of People and HR Analytics in Business

People and HR analytics have evolved in the past couple of decades. Historically, human resource careers were known mostly for hiring employees, leading workplace training, and settling workplace disputes. Since technology has increased and evolved, data-driven analytics has become a main facet of HR careers. 

People analytics and HR analytics are often used interchangeably however, the careers are different. People analytics specializes in the people and staff of the business while HR analytics focuses on the company overall.   

Pursue Your Master of Science in HR Analytics Online

HR departments in every industry are changing due to the ever-increasing application of technology to drive better business decisions. HR and business professionals will gain many benefits from pursuing higher education in data analytics.

Montclair State University’s Master of Science in HR Analytics is designed with the working professional in mind. Students complete the program fully online in an average of 24 months, gain skills to work in any industry, and complete coursework that gives them the skills to advance their careers. 

Some of our Master’s in HR Analytics coursework includes: 

• Data visualizations
• Human resource analytics
• Business communications
• Advanced HR data analytics
• Applied statistics for business analytics

If you’d like to learn more about this program at Montclair State University, then check out our MS in HR Analytics program page today!