Mix Quantitative and Qualitative Data to Improve the Employee Journey

A data-driven approach to improving the employee lifecycle can help businesses adapt to shifting needs, enhance the employee experience and build a thriving workplace culture. This article explores what metrics organizations should be collecting — and how — to understand and refine the full employee journey. 

Use Existing Data to Gain a Full EX Picture

Companies have a wealth of readily available data in the tools and systems employees use daily. Particularly powerful are combined approaches that use existing data points from various tools and systems alongside direct feedback methods like surveys and focus groups. 

A more complete picture of employee experience emerges from this approach, which allows leaders to identify where interventions are needed. The data also helps HR, employee experience (EX) and internal communications teams demonstrate the impact of their initiatives — on productivity, retention, customer satisfaction and core business outcomes.

Organizations must adopt a comprehensive and continuous approach to data collection to improve the employee lifecycle — from recruitment to retention and beyond. Ideally, EX leaders monitor data in real-time or at least on a quarterly basis. Real-time insights allow for proactive responses, while retrospective data may miss early warning signs.

10 Metrics to Measure the Employee Lifecycle

Two of the most common metrics in this space are employee engagement and eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score):

• Employee Engagement measures the emotional commitment and enthusiasm employees have toward their work and the organization. These insights are typically gathered through quarterly or annual engagement surveys.
• eNPS gauges employee loyalty and satisfaction by asking, “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this company as a place to work?” This question is often included in annual engagement surveys.

But focusing solely on these two metrics misses a wealth of other valuable data that can illuminate different parts of the employee experience. Other key metrics include:

• Employee Retention: High retention rates often indicate that employees are satisfied, engaged and motivated. It’s a key metric that reflects long-term commitment.
• Communication Engagement: Track how employees interact with internal communications — likes, comments, open rates, views and sentiment analysis all provide insight into how informed and connected employees feel.
• Employee Wellness: This includes mental, physical and emotional well-being. Collect data through health assessments, surveys and analysis of absenteeism rates to gauge overall workforce health.
• Performance Data: Feedback and evaluations during performance reviews provide valuable information about individual growth and contributions, helping to identify high performers and development opportunities.
• Employee Referrals: High rates of employee referrals often signal a strong workplace culture, as people are more likely to recommend a company they genuinely enjoy working for.
• Employee Absenteeism: Unplanned absences can point to stress, dissatisfaction or other systemic issues that need attention.
• Internal Promotions: A high number of internal promotions can indicate that employees feel there are opportunities for growth and advancement, which boosts morale and retention.
• Customer Satisfaction Scores: Engaged employees often lead to happier customers. Analyzing customer feedback in relation to team performance can offer an external view of employee engagement.

Don't Forget Qualitative Data

While quantitative data is critical, qualitative insights shouldn't be overlooked. Once survey results are collected, consider organizing focus groups to dive deeper into team-specific trends and concerns. These sessions can provide context to the numbers and uncover root causes behind patterns in the data.

Additionally, quarterly employee listening sessions help maintain an ongoing pulse on employee sentiment. These sessions can explore rotating themes or open-ended questions based on current priorities or concerns. To encourage candid feedback and minimize bias, it’s best to have these sessions facilitated by a neutral third party. This approach builds trust, promotes open dialogue and ensures that employee voices are truly heard.

By combining real-time data, ongoing feedback and thoughtful analysis, organizations can make smarter, more human-centered decisions across every stage of the employee lifecycle.

Editor's Note: Read more advice on improving employee experience:

• The 3 Best Ways to Invest in Employee Mental Health and Well-Being — Prioritize employee mental health strategically to boost productivity, connection and organizational performance.
• Employee Retention Remains a Concern. People Analytics Can Help — Companies spend a lot of time, money and resources to hire the best and brightest talent they can find. People analytics can help you retain them.
• The Neuroscience of High Impact, Lower Noise Internal Communications — How brain-based communication strategies drive business results in an era of information overload.

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