NOTTINGHAM: New research commissioned by HR, payroll and talent management solutions provider, MidlandHR indicates that organisations are yet to fully understand the benefits of predictive software in improving employee engagement.

Employee engagement is key to retention

Four out of ten respondents (40.5 percent) were unsure of its role even though a staggering nine out of ten (92 percent) believed that employee engagement is key to organisational performance. Despite this, half (49.5 percent) of those surveyed do see it as providing information that can be used as an indicator.

The research, Investigating Employee Engagement and Predictive Analytics, surveyed over 100 business leaders in UK public, private and charity sectors on their views, with a view to optimising performance management within organisations.

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Leslie Bowie, research director from MidlandHR, comments: "These results are extremely surprising considering predictive software is currently creating a buzz with companies looking to gain competitive advantage in these tough times. Some businesses may be missing a trick as our preliminary findings have shown predictive software to have a significant impact at reducing absence rates and improving talent retention."

The general lack of knowledge about predictive software is epitomised by the limited understanding of the benefits it can bring with only 17 percent recognising how it can identify potential risk, 17 percent manage absence and 26 percent assist in talent management and retention.

Interestingly however, the survey dispelled the issue that predictive software is a 'big brother' development with only 17 percent of those surveyed seeing it as an invasion of their civil rights (17 percent).