People Analytics: Transforming HR Strategy with Data Science
Leverage the value of people data for superior business outcomes
Align people strategy with business goals through data
Leaders across business and HR functions face increasing pressure to address critical workforce needs and challenges. While data is transforming industries, many organisations are still early in applying data-led approaches to people's decisions. People analytics combines data science with psychological insight to bridge this gap and improve workforce outcomes.
Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education has designed the eight-week People Analytics: Transforming HR Strategy with Data Science programme that integrates the latest findings from in-depth research by the University’s Psychometrics Centre. The programme equips you with the skills to build or scale a people analytics function, design ethical experiments and address organisational challenges using data. You also learn to interpret workforce data, apply psychometric tools and generate predictive insights that align people strategy with business goals.
Key takeaways
Strategically position a people analytics function within your corporate structure.
Organise, analyse and leverage data that already exists within your organisation.
Generate actionable insights from scientific experiments and data analysis.
Demonstrate both technical and ethical leadership in how you make people decisions.
Combine psychological insights with strategic goals to strengthen the accuracy and impact of your people analytics initiatives.
Programme curriculum
Throughout this eight-week online programme, you will explore practical methods to build a robust people analytics function and learn to apply existing organisational data to solve real-world business challenges.
For more information on the syllabus, download the brochure.
Who is this programme for?
This programme is designed for professionals who want to build or scale people analytics functions and drive data-informed transformation across the organisation. It is suitable for professionals across sectors, including finance, telecom, government and consulting.
This programme is particularly beneficial for:
HR professionals looking to use data to solve people challenges, from turnover to productivity, and lead strategic change
People or data analysts aiming to make smarter, business-relevant predictions using internal data sources
HR and analytics consultants who want to deliver more impactful, evidence-based solutions for clients
Project managers aligning people, processes and performance with organisational strategy
Directors and business leaders seeking to optimise workforce decisions through people analytics
Employee representatives looking to understand how AI and big data are reshaping work
What you will learn
The curriculum equips you with data-driven, people-focused approaches to build a future-ready HR function and unlock the full potential of workforce insights.
Practical strategies
curated by Cambridge Judge Business School faculty to build, structure and lead an effective people analytics function.
Strategic and technical tools
to transform people data into insights that drive smarter, evidence-based business and workforce decisions.
Research-backed methods
to analyse performance drivers, experiment with workplace data and solve root causes of HR challenges.
Leadership frameworks
that integrate ethical, psychological and behavioural perspectives into data-led decision-making.
Collaborative learning
with global peers to exchange insights, explore diverse case studies and broaden your perspective.
People Analytics with The Psychometrics Centre at Cambridge Judge Business School
The Psychometrics Centre at Cambridge Judge Business School combines deep academic expertise with real-world application in behavioural data science. As a global leader in psychometrics and people analytics, the Centre offers research-driven insights, practical tools, including the OBPI, and a strong focus on ethical, responsible data use. Its expert faculty equips you with the psychological and analytical skills to lead people-focused transformation in any organisation.
Testimonials
Faculty live sessions
Engage with Cambridge Judge Business School faculty through a series of live, interactive sessions designed to extend your understanding of key people analytics concepts and explore their application in real-world settings. These sessions cover advanced topics, including root cause analysis, psychometric integration, predictive analytics and strategic planning for workplace transformation.
You will examine real cases, gain expert perspectives and take part in guided discussions to strengthen your ability to lead analytics initiatives effectively. You will also learn to:
Solve the right HR problems using root cause analysis and project prioritisation
Understand the role of psychometric data and latent traits in workplace behaviour
Apply organisational data science from description to prediction
Develop a people analytics vision to guide strategic workplace change
Practical tools and frameworks
Gain access to proven models and tools used by industry leaders to apply people analytics effectively. These resources support practical learning, strategic planning and evidence-based HR decision-making.
Gartner IT maturity model
This structured benchmarking tool is used to assess and advance IT and analytics capabilities across functions, including CIO leadership, infrastructure and operations and enterprise data strategy.
Gartner talent analytics framework
Designed to embed analytics into daily HR workflows, this framework supports evidence-based decision-making across the employee life cycle — from talent acquisition to retention and development.
Gartner corporate performance management (CPM) framework
This comprehensive model links business strategy with performance metrics, enabling organisations to align planning, forecasting and reporting with advanced analytical tools.
Orpheus Business Personality Inventory (OBPI)
Developed by Professor John Rust at the Cambridge Psychometrics Centre, this scientifically validated tool assesses workplace traits and integrity. Participants receive a personal report, offering practical insight into the use of psychometric testing for recruitment, coaching and organisational development.
STAR(L) interview model and TOTE scheme
This behavioural interview method helps structure conversations to extract actionable information from candidates and employees, enabling more effective analysis of qualitative input.
Text analysis — video demonstration
This guided demonstration using Jupyter Notebook shows how to process and interpret unstructured text data for actionable insights in HR contexts.
Predictive model analysis — video demonstration
This video demonstration is a step-by-step walkthrough of a predictive modelling exercise designed to help participants understand how to build and interpret forecasting models based on organisational data.
Case studies
Explore real-world examples of how organisations across sectors have applied people analytics to solve complex workforce challenges and drive strategic outcomes.
Explore how a European airline addressed organisational tensions and enhanced the impact of its people analytics function.
Examine how a software provider applied psychometric data to boost the accuracy of predictive HR models.
Analyse how an Asian bank improved trader performance forecasting and advanced team skills in NLP, AI and decision-making.
Investigate how a sports clothing brand used data aggregation and stakeholder management to resolve key performance challenges.
Identify how a US bank uncovered flaws in performance ratings and increased HR's strategic value through predictive analytics.
Uncover how a food processing organisation leveraged root cause analysis to better understand attrition and influence business strategy.
Discover how the technology giant Google investigated how a data-driven experiment reshaped perceptions of management and workplace effectiveness.
Assess how a Japanese digital marketing organisation introduced new processes and a predictive model to reduce recruitment bias.
Programme highlights
The programme includes a mix of live and recorded sessions with faculty and guest speakers, application exercises, interactive discussion groups and proprietary tools such as the discussion groups and psychometric instruments. We expect participants to dedicate 4–6 hours per week over the eight weeks of the programme.
Setting Up a People Analytics Function
Learn what it takes in practice to set up a people analytics function and how to best position it within your organisation; refine the ways in which you collect, analyse and maintain organisational databases; and equip your function with the necessary techniques to tackle the most salient challenges.
Generating Actionable Insights
Apply scientific research methodologies to enhance information quality and experiment with confidence in complex and dynamic organisational settings.
From Description to Prediction
Explore how prediction models are designed and how they operate to enable more accurate forecasting. This will inspire you to shape the future through accountable and data-driven leadership.
Using Data to Solve Problems
Learn the language of data science to better manage analysts working with people data. Integrate psychological theory with strategic imperatives to significantly improve project outcomes.
Action Plan for Your Organisation
Create a workbook that includes reflection, discussion and consolidation of each week's learning along with practical guidance and support in implementing people analytics in practice.
Past participant profile
Past participants come from diverse backgrounds, industries, functions, and cultures, bringing varied experience. This diversity fosters fresh perspectives and innovative solutions for your organisation's unique challenges.
Faculty
Research Director, BSc (Zhejiang University), MSc (University of Munich), PhD (University of Cambridge)
Luning Sun is a highly experienced psychometrician and researcher, having led many international research collaborations to advance the field of psychological and behavioural ...
People Analytics Lead, The Psychometrics Centre
Peter Romero has 20 years of experience working at marquee organisations such as Gartner and SHL, of which he spent six years in Research & Development and 14 years in consult...
Guest speakers
Founder, The Psychometrics Centre, Cambridge Judge Business School; Associate Fellow of the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence
VP Performance and Deployment, Shell
Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, University College Dublin, Ireland
Global Head of People Reporting and Analytics, Upfield
Chief Technology Officer, PsychAI Talent Group
David W Zalaznick Associate Professor of Business, Columbia Business School
Co-Founder and Chief Psychologist, Aptology Inc.
Project Assistant Professor, Keio University Global Research Institute
Senior Consultant, Hogan Corporate Solutions
CEO and Founder, Institution for a Global Society (IGS)
Certificate
Upon successful completion of the programme, participants will be awarded a digital certificate of completion by Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education.
Please note that this programme can be incorporated into the completion of the Cambridge General Management Certificate of Achievement (GMCA). It will be credited as an "in-person" two-day programme for the purpose of meeting the GMCA requirements. If you require more details on the GMCA and wish to speak to our advisers, please contact executive.education@jbs.cam.ac.uk.
Note: After successful completion of the online programme, your verified digital certificate will be emailed to you in the name you used when registering for the programme. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education.
FAQs
Didn't find what you were looking for? Write to us at learner.success@emeritus.org or Schedule a call with one of our Programme Advisers or call us at +44 203 479 4043 (UK) / +1 315 819 0707(US) / +65 3163 8580 (SG)
Flexible payment options available.
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