ISO 30435:2023

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 30435
First edition
2023-07
Human resource management —
Workforce data quality
Management des ressources humaines — Qualité des données de la
main d'œuvre
Reference number
ISO 30435:2023(E)
© ISO 2023

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ISO 30435:2023(E)
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© ISO 2023
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ISO 30435:2023(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Defining workforce data quality . .1
4.1 General . 1
4.2 Accuracy . 2
4.3 Timeliness . 2
4.4 Completeness . 2
4.5 Consistency . 2
4.6 Relevance . 3
5 Workforce life cycle framework .3
5.1 General . 3
5.2 Expanding the workforce life cycle framework . 3
5.3 Using the framework . . 5
5.4 Generic workforce data framework . . 5
6 Data capture and maintenance requirements . 6
6.1 General . 6
6.2 Current and future workforce data capture and maintenance . 7
6.3 Historic data cleansing and collation . 7
6.3.1 General . 7
6.3.2 Historical workforce data management time frames . 8
6.3.3 Cost of historical data cleansing. 8
6.3.4 Historic workforce data project team . 8
7 Data integrity review process .9
7.1 Workforce data quality review process . 9
7.2 Reviewing workforce data management processes report . 9
7.3 Management assurance . 9
7.4 Time frames . 9
Annex A (informative) Impacts of poor data quality .11
Bibliography .13
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ISO 30435:2023(E)
Foreword
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ISO 30435:2023(E)
Introduction
Workforce data quality is concerned with policies, processes and practices for:
— identifying and determining relevant workforce data;
— data capture;
— data maintenance;
— data review.
This document establishes the importance of data quality and the validity and consistency of
comparative data across functions, size, specific segmentation, industry sector, industry and region.
This document also provides a basis for continual improvement in the quality of workforce data that
are available for analysis and to support evidence-based decision-making.
The application of this document’s guidelines assists organizations to make informed decisions based
on high-quality workforce data. The economic and social benefits derived from improved decision-
making are substantial and, along with the impacts of poor workforce data quality, are discussed in
Annex A.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 30435:2023(E)
Human resource management — Workforce data quality
1 Scope
This document provides the basis for organizational improvement underpinned by quality workforce
data that supports analysis and evidenced-based decision-making.
Workforce data quality, for the purpose of this document, is the process of:
a) workforce data determination;
b) data capture;
c) data maintenance;
d) data review processes.
The focus of this document is on the quality of data itself rather than on other critical aspects relating
to the overall management of data, such as privacy and security of personal data, the analysis and
reporting of data and the use of technology.
This document does not cover the analysis of data and reporting structure or the definition of any
metric other than quality of workforce data. Technology platforms in the form of human resource
information systems, databases, spreadsheets, and the like, can improve the process of the capture and
management of data. The focus of this document is the data itself.
While data security and data privacy are also critical to the overall management of data, they are not
dealt with in this document.
This document is applicable to all types and sizes of organization across all industry sectors and
regions.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
No terms and definitions are listed in this document.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
4 Defining workforce data quality
4.1 General
A high level of workforce data quality provides the foundation for evidence-based decision-making to
support organizational performance and continual improvement.
Key considerations are the identification and capture of relevant data. The organization should
determine what data is material to the purpose of the organization and its strategic objectives.
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ISO 30435:2023(E)
When considering what data to capture, refer to the relevant national and international human resource
management standards.
This document focuses on key elements of workforce data quality: accuracy, timeliness, completeness,
consistency and relevance. Further information on overall data quality can be found in the ISO 8000
series.
NOTE 1 Refer to ISO 30414:2018, Figure 2, which highlights and recommends a number of metrics for
reporting internally and/or externally.
NOTE 2 See Annex A for the impacts of poor data quality.
NOTE 3 Refer to ISO 8000-1 and ISO 8000-2 for further information on general data quality.
4.2 Accuracy
To determine the level of accuracy required for various data, first consider the nature of the data being
captured. The accuracy of the data determined to be important should be aligned to relevant industry
guidelines. The current accuracy should also form the basis for future targeted accuracy. Table 4 offers
an example of data accuracy requirements.
4.3 Timeliness
Timeliness of data capture and the availability of the data for decision-making and reporting should be
considered. For instance, when considering termination data, the reason can be different at the time of
termination than a few months later, or if engagement data is being collected from one group at the start
of a shift and another group at the end of a shift, the trends can be affected by the timing of collection.
4.4 Completeness
Completeness regularly becomes an issue when forms are partially filled in and/or data partially
collected. Some examples of this include:
a) qualifications have not been regularly sighted or verified;
b) referees have not been contacted;
c) performance information has not been recorded.
The risks to the organization and the individual in these instances cannot be underestimated. Complete
data collection should be mandatory. Further, the responsibility for checking, recording and validating
information that people provide is critical to data quality and should not be underestimated.
4.5 Consistency
Consistency in collecting data is essential for comparative analysis. Comparative analysis highlights
the direction of an issue being monitored, such as an increase in workforce turnover.
To be consistent, consideration should be given to:
a) timing of the data collecting, for instance monthly or bi-monthly;
b) formulae used in any calculation not varying;
c) data points and formats used not varying, such as dates, job titles, department names and employee
ID numbers.
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ISO 30435:2023(E)
4.6 Relevance
Not all data collected are valuable. Many data points currently being measured are interesting but not
relevant. One way to understand the importance of data and measurement is to use a framework that
allows for the grouping of data points and/or measurements. For simplicity, group the resulting metric
using the performance audit framework of input, process, output and outcome to allow the metric to be
clustered across the activities within the workforce life cycle.
NOTE See ISO 30414 for guidelines on internal and external human capital reporting.
This framework focuses on a grouping within an activity. Some examples of this include:
a) inputs for recruitment and talent management;
b) grouping across activities;
c) the entire workforce life cycle.
An example of this grouping can be seen through the following recruitment processes:
— input: CVs received;
— process: interviews with prospective employees;
— output: hiring of an employee or contractor;
— outcome: impact of hire compares the desired outcome, such as sales figures or customer service
scores, against the actual outcome of what the new recruit delivered in the nominated time frame.
The relevant data to use for various metrics and assessments should be determined using this grouping.
5 Workforce life cycle framework
5.1 General
A workforce life cycle framework is a table of all the activities an organization undertakes and considers
relevant to the management of its workforce. The framework can be unique to an industry sector or
developed for each individual organization. The workforce life cycle follows the high-level framework
of plan, do, check and act.
5.2 Expanding the workforce life cycle framework
Expanding the workforce life cycle framework will enhance the ability to determine what data should
be captured. Through expansion of the framework, a clearer understanding of the interrelationships
of each stage of the life cycle will be determined, see example in Table 1. By selecting the activities
that form the core workforce management functions of an organization and expanding on the higher-
level functions, the practitioner can gain a more detailed understanding of what key measures and data
points impact workforce management in the organization. For example, turnover can be broken into
voluntary, involuntary and/or critical position turnover for the practitioner to gain greater insight into
the data.
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ISO 30435:2023(E)
Table 1 — Example of expanded workforce life cycle framework (organizational perspective)
Plan Do Check Act
Define re- Strategise Consolidate Develop Administer Analyse Report Evaluate Repeat
quirements and plan or acquire
Organization- Workforce Recruitment Capability Reward and Workforce Statutory Data dic- Prioritise
al objective(s) planning framework recognition activity reporting tionary
analytics
Values Diversity and Position de- Payroll Root cause Administra- Human
inclusion scriptions analytics tive reporting resourc-
es data
quality
Define work Sustainable Critical role Statutory re- Workforce
required to employabil- management quirements reporting
deliver objec- ity
tives
Organization Workforce Mandatory Health and
design design training safety
Organization Learning Disciplinary
design and develop- management
ment
Define func- Performance Employee
tions and management relations
roles required
Determine Succession Policies and
build capa- planning procedures
bility, buy
capability,
outsource
requirement
Workforce
allocation
Transition
Knowledge
management
Define re- Strategise Consolidate Develop Administer Analyse Report Evaluate Repeat
quirements and plan or acquire
An example of a more detailed breakout of the “do” function of the workforce life cycle can be seen in
Table 2.
Table 2 — Example of more detailed “do” components of the workforce life cycle (organizational
perspective)
Consolidate or acquire Develop Administer
Employer of choice positioning Innovation Reward and recognition
Alumni Organization development Payroll
Attraction Capability framework Statutory requirements
Rec
...