Browse through top HR analytics courses — and learn how to make the best choice for your context and learning objectives, from an experienced HRBP.
People Analytics is one of the most in-demand HR skills today, allowing the people people to tie their expertise to organisational goals — and act as a strategic business partner.
But with so many use cases of people analytics, it can be overwhelming to find the right HR analytics certification and advance your career in the right direction. In this post, we look at top People Analytics courses, and establish criteria for assessment, so you can make the best choice for your context.
Read on to learn about:
- The shift to data-driven HR
- How to choose the People Analytics course that fits you
- Top 3 free online courses in People Analytics
- People Analytics course, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
- People Analytics Masterclass, from Orgnostic
- People Analytics course, from Josh Bersin
- Top 4 paid online courses in People Analytics
- People Analytics Learning Hub, from Orgnostic
- Social Talent
- People Analytics for HR (PAHR) Certification, from Human Capital Institute
- People Analytics Certificate Program, from AIHR
- Conclusion
The shift to data-driven HR
Once upon a time, Human Resources was an umbrella term for managing all the less tangible outcomes of the workforce and all the initiatives meant to motivate employees to become more productive.
HR used to be an art more than a science.
Fast forward to 2023, it is now virtually impossible to grab a decision-making seat at the table together with the executive board, as an HR professional, without bringing the people data and the conceptual models for how individuals and teams operate in your organization.
In fact, about 70% of company executives have set people analytics as a top priority in their organization, according to McKinsey & Company.
Therefore, if you don’t have a grip on the human aspect of your workforce, you run the risk of your voice going unheard, in an increasingly complex and volatile business environment — whether you are an HR generalist or you specialize in People Analytics.
When you bring forth HR solutions that improve performance, reduce bias, or otherwise enable your company to reach its goals, it is critical to capture how and why certain behaviors happen in your organization. You need to unlock the power of data for your people projects.
But where to start?
What People Analytics topic to pick first?
Who can you learn from, who has already applied People Analytics successfully?
I’ve asked these questions myself (hi, I am Laura), as I navigated the recruitment and talent startup environment for the past 5 years.
So when I tell you about earning a seat at the table with leaders, with an eye on process improvement, you know that I’ve tried almost everything. In the past, I also organized several workshops on people analytics, experimenting in recruitment and evidence-based psychology. My not-so-secret sauce has always been helping leaders conceptualize talent topics through frameworks and models that explain people’s behavior and performance. Therefore, there’s no going around a solid theoretical foundation in the field of people analytics.
In the next part, I will point you in the right direction in your learning journey. You will not only find out where to find People Analytics resources, but you will also gain clarity into what makes a good resource for your own situation. Then, you can pick the best People Analytics course for yourself and get the support you need.
How to choose the People Analytics course that fits you
Just as you inspect people’s needs before kickstarting an HR initiative, I invite you to decide for yourself what your needs are, when searching for a course on the wide topic of People Analytics.
I hope to help you avoid decision fatigue with the following pointers.
- Firstly, consider your level of knowledge on the topic.
The greatest drawback of picking a course which is beyond your current level of knowledge is that it can take you more time than anticipated to grasp the new concepts and do the required exercises, which will likely end up eating into your spare time more than you planned for it.Be curious to learn and to seek help when the level is too high. I just don’t want any associated negative feelings to prevent you from pursuing your learning journey with enthusiasm and confidence.
- Secondly, check who your course instructors would be.
I have a strong preference for instructors with an extensive background as both academics and practitioners. Or, if they are too hard to find for a specific sub-topic of People Analytics, then I suggest leaning towards instructors who are leaders in People Analytics and have a strong data background outside of it. Their courses are the only ones which are going to teach you both the fundamental theories in People Analytics, as well as the practice. “Practice without theory is blind”, says Kant. You want to listen to someone who you can trust has solid reasons for their practices and doesn’t teach you a generic one-size-fits-all approach for all your People Analytics challenges.
- Lastly, have a look at the format of the course.
Does it integrate well into your day-to-day work? The course you will end up picking will have to become a habit, for you to keep your motivation high, to finish it, and to eventually apply it to your own work. Do you prefer bite-sized content or lectures? Do you need exercises in between lessons, to test your knowledge?
Taking all these personal criteria into account, let’s explore the best People Analytics courses out there, in 2023, both free and paid.
Top 3 free online courses in People Analytics
I scoured my memory, the memory of my network and the internet, to present you a few invaluable courses on the topic of People Analytics, which are completely free.
Whether you want to first dip your toes in the waters of People Analytics, or you are simply keen to find some free-of-charge hidden gems to expand your knowledge, the courses below are all great starting points – and a few of them go beyond the basics too!
1. People Analytics course, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Ivy League universities, such as the University of Pennsylvania, are usually exclusive and admission to them implies an extremely high level of competition.
However, you can now learn online from three pioneers in the field of people analytics, who are strong both as practitioners and researchers.
This People Analytics course equips you with the fundamental theories you need to design and implement people analytics initiatives yourself, no matter whether you work at a big corporation, a small startup, or anything in between. You will learn about state-of-the-art techniques and pivotal study cases of innovative companies.
The main topics covered in this people analytics course are recruiting, performance evaluation, talent management, job design and compensation.
Level
This course is at the beginner’s level, teaching you the fundamental frameworks and theories which will put further practical applications of people analytics into perspective. They are transparent in explaining that the course will not cover advanced talent management data analysis.
Instead, the course will help you understand how you can use hard data to make soft-skill decisions.
Therefore, if you recently completed an MBA, HRM studies or a Bachelor of Science in psychology or the like, your pre-existing knowledge might overlap with this course. This is not necessarily a disadvantage of taking the course – we all need a refresher from time to time. And if you haven’t taken such a course before, then I would definitely recommend this one. A past attendee of the course mentioned that it is “detailed, yet high level enough to bring any specialist into the subject”.
Format
Just like most of the courses on Coursera, the People Analytics course is self-paced. This way, it is up to you to fit the lessons within your schedule and even carry out related learning projects within your own company. Are you more comfortable learning in another language than English? No problem – the course offers accurate subtitles in 11 different languages.
Price
The course is free to access in the first 7 days. It will take you about 8 hours to finish the course, so I find the free trial more than enough to enjoy all the lessons at a steady pace.
A paid version of the course is also available, with the only differences being that you could earn a shareable certificate upon completion and that you could do several (easy) assignments to solidify your knowledge. The price tag for these extra features is €74 per month, which includes unlimited access to the other 4 courses in the Business Analytics specialization.
2. People Analytics Masterclass, from Orgnostic
I am writing this article on behalf of our team at Orgnostic, yet I am committed to being very transparent and objective about our offering. The decision on what course to pick is fully yours and I am merely here to support you.
The People Analytics Masterclass Series consists of eight different masterclasses, and each one is from a leading expert in their respective field.
During this program, you will get to put the expansive topic of people analytics into perspective, by articulating clear answers to the questions to which your company’s executive board would most value your input:
- Why is People Analytics important for the company?
- When is it a good time to start developing a People Analytics strategy?
- How can People Analytics professionals have a seat at the table, when it comes to wider corporate strategies?
- How to speak the language of finance and connect your efforts to business objectives?
- And, most importantly, what is the best next step that you can take in your People Analytics journey?
Moreover, this course will show you show to set up People Analytics as a function and how to prepare data-driven HR strategies that your stakeholders can’t ignore.
Here is what one student said about the People Analytics Masterclass: “This is a great all-around course on People Analytics, for both new and seasoned practitioners. Solid overview of the fundamentals and great lessons on how to tell a story with data!”.
Level
This is an introductory course, so it has no prerequisites. By the end of it, you will be well equipped to decide how much you’d like to specialize in certain people analytics topics, since both theoretical and practical aspects of people analytics are explored.
Format
The course is designed to reduce the overwhelm that students may otherwise experience when delving deep into people analytics. The 8-hour course is split into 8 sections, so you can follow it 1 hour per week, alongside your work. This way, you get to apply the knowledge you gain gradually and celebrate your progress. If work comes in the way of this recommended plan, then you can adjust the course freely, as it is essentially self-paced.
Price
This People Analytics Masterclass is completely free.
3. People Analytics course, from Josh Bersin
Josh Bersin is a global industry analyst, whose over 3 decade-long practice sits at the intersection between technology and HR. He is the founder of Bersin by Deloitte and a world-renowned keynote speaker.
This course is especially interesting for people who want to make a career transition from another field into people analytics. It gives its students an overall understanding of the people analytics function in companies, as well as a taste for best practices and practical examples.
This course covers topics such as how to get started with people analytics, gathering the right people analytics team, choosing people analytics tools and developing a career in the field.
Level
This course is for beginners. It is also especially interesting for people who are experienced in other business areas and are considering transitioning to People Analytics.
Format
Josh Bersin’s course is completely self-paced and it is hosted on the LinkedIn Learning platform. Short and sweet questions are sprinkled throughout the course, to help you reflect on what you learned. Overall, it will take you less than an hour to complete and, if you’re anything like me (i.e., curious and impatient), you will be happy to know that LinkedIn Learning courses give you the option to increase the playback speed to up to 2x.
Price
Since the course is relatively short, you can finish it before the free trial of your LinkedIn Learning account ends. Alternatively, I encourage you to check with your employer whether they are willing to offer you a paid business account, as this can be cheaper than the individual ones.
Top 4 paid online courses in People Analytics
Have you already covered all the basics, when it comes to the foundational theory and the main state-of-the-art practices of People Analytics?
Or do you want to follow a more complex course, fully integrated with your existing work in People Analytics?
Then, you will have to opt for a paid course — here are some of my favorite options.
1. People Analytics Learning Hub, from Orgnostic
Orgnostic’s People Analytics Learning Hub is designed to be your one-stop shop for your unique learning journey.
Ognostic specializes exclusively in the HR topic of People Analytics, so you are sure to learn from and be advised by expert practitioners at the top of their game.
Uber, Delivery Hero and Nike are only a few of the companies where Orgnostic’s trainers have built entire People Analytics functions.
As an industry leader, Orgnostic shares a wealth of knowledge in People Analytics in this Learning Hub, including several free resources.
For example, you can learn how to speak the language of finance and how to choose your HR tools at no cost, once you gain access to the Hub. Other topics that Orgnostic’s experts cover include people analytics in talent acquisition, building your in-house compensation strategy and approaching data quality in your organization, with new courses added each month. And each course earns you HRCI credits!
Level
There are no prerequisites to joining this Learning Hub.
Both theoretical and practical aspects of people analytics are explored. As your level of expertise increases gradually, you will be able to pick more and more lessons and masterclasses to complete. The platform is updated regularly to reflect the latest trends and developments in the field, so there will always be something new for you to explore.
Format
Modern learning is all about bite-sized, self-paced, and well-integrated lessons. No lesson in the Learning Hub is longer than 15 minutes, so you can plan them whenever they fit you best. Our team personally enjoys learning while drinking our first cup of coffee for the day, but it’s up to you to design your own learning routine. This is how you will consistently improve your knowledge, ponder on its practical applications at your company, and gain a masterclass certificate in no time.
And because no learning happens in a vacuum, you will also gain access to Orgnostic’s alumni community of 1000+ People Analytics experts worldwide, from startups to 200k-employee companies.
Price
There are several pricing plans you can explore, from individual courses to a full annual access that gives you a chance to stay on top of the hottest topics in people analytics, as new courses are added each month. The single course fee is $49, while the annual access is $299. Plus, you can also opt in for a tailored plan for you and your team members.
2. Social Talent
If your company sees People Analytics as strongly connected to Talent Acquisition or if your role encompasses both recruitment and HR, then it is worth exploring Social Talent’s subscription options.
I used SocialTalent intensively a few years ago and included it in this article because of the sheer wealth of knowledge you can access on this platform. You can easily build out a detailed resource center for internal training, from their thousands of videos. If your company is set on creating a strong continuous learning program for its recruitment professionals, SocialTalent is a strong platform to consider.
My favorite SocialTalent courses are about stakeholder management and modern leadership, some of which emphasize the importance of being data-driven. However, most trainers don’t have any academic or data-heavy background, so I don’t recommend using SocialTalent to strengthen your People Analytics capabilities without any additional resources.
For a (free) taste of their teaching style, here is one of their blogs, about how Talent Intelligence data combat reactive workforce decisions. Here is also a selection of their webinars, but none of them touch on data or people analytics.
Level
SocialTalent encompasses lessons for all kinds of professional levels and in a variety of areas, with a focus on talent acquisition. They are also among the few learning platforms that carry expert-level classes into the agency and RPO (recruitment process outsourcing) recruitment models.
Format
The classes are all self-paced and video-based, with ample opportunities for integration within your usual work. Moreover, the modern UI of the platform allows learners to remain engaged throughout the program.
Price
Access to SocialTalent’s platform varies greatly depending on the corporate plan or individual plan you choose. If you partner up with at least 6 other people, you are to pay around €1000 per month. The smaller your group is, the more you have to pay – up to €1227 per month. Alternatively, a corporate plan is cheaper and its price highly depends on the number of employees to access the platform, as well as the potential for the team to expand. This is typical of such corporate payment plans and can be discussed in an introductory sales call with them.
3. People Analytics for HR (PAHR) Certification, from Human Capital Institute
This intensive course guarantees an HCI certification after you attend all the sessions, complete all classwork and pass the multiple-choice exam with a score of 80% or higher. To renew your HCI certification every three years, you must obtain 60 credits and this program also offers recertification credits (13.75 HCI, 13.75 HRCI, 13.75 SHRM, 13 ATD). Therefore, if your national professional bodies or your company highly values such accreditations, then Human Capital Institute is a very reliable source.
The PAHR certification covers a general, yet extensive set of topics, all of which are evidence-based. I appreciate that the instructors have in-depth knowledge as practitioners as well as in well-known corporate advisory boards. Have a taste of their approach to building people analytics capabilities by reading this article.
Level
I recommend investing in this certification once you’ve already amassed some experience in people analytics and have a stable HR role at a company where you could apply different concepts as you learn them.
Format
This solid program lasts 18 months. The training sessions offered by HCI are both virtual and in-person, so you can choose what format works best for you – and, of course, what location is closest. You’ll take three core programs and two strategic accelerators, as well as complete mentoring and an advised portfolio project. The basis of the program is the live (on Zoom or in-person) sessions and you have access to additional videos and research too.
Price
Enrolment in the program costs €1825 per person. I advise you to first learn more about your company’s professional development budget, as well as the extent to which they value such a certification as part of your career development path. In our experience, IT companies and companies in Central Europe don’t particularly favor such certifications for any additional career advancement opportunities.
4. People Analytics Certificate Program, from AIHR
AIHR offers a wide range of courses on all kinds of HR topics, from employee experience to HR data visualization. What they all have in common is a strong focus on solid practical applications. Their People Analytics Certificate Program is no exception and the specialty of their trainers proves it: a people analytics leader, a psychometrics expert, a Power BI trainer and a data scientist. The topics AIHR approaches throughout this 40-hour program are data-driven business impact, analytics implementation, basic statistics, self-service dashboards and storytelling with data.
Level
The program includes introductions to statistics and a few other technical topics, so you can pick it up without such prior knowledge.
Format
The program is self-paced and made up of video lessons amounting to 40 hours. On top of that, you will have both quizzes and assignments to work through, on the basis of several data sets that AIHR offers for practice. You can access the platform for 12 months. You will also be required to install and use Power BI on a Windows computer – a tool commonly used in data analytics, including people analytics. If you are a Mac user, you can also run Power BI in a browser, with limited functionality.
Price
This program costs €875 and gives a 60-day money-back guarantee. The pricing becomes interesting if you decide to supplement your education with AIHR with other courses too, including the certified programs. For full access to 11 certificate programs, as well as personal coaching, you only need to pay €1450. Keep in mind that access to the platform will still last 12 months only, so you are not buying lifetime access to the platform. Moreover, if you plan to train a whole team, or study yourself alongside your colleagues, it’s worth considering a team package instead.
Conclusion
Choosing how to power your learning journey is powerful in itself. I hope you have found your best next step in this People Analytics journey – one which matches your level of expertise, in a format to keep you engaged, from reputable instructors and for a reasonable budget.
If bite-sized content fits well into your schedule and you’d like to learn from industry leaders who set the tone of state-of-the-art People Analytics processes in innovative companies, join Orgnostic’s People Analytics Learning Hub
5000+ people analytics experts worldwide are waiting for you on the other side.
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