Using an Organizational Network Analysis for Better Decision Making

Organizational Network Analysis or ONA is a process of collecting and analyzing data about the relationships between employees. This data can be used to identify key influencers, decision-makers, and areas where communication and collaboration are lacking.

Our most recent Peoplelogic ONA Graph highlights the relationships and collaboration patterns of teams and departments. This ONA can be useful for managers and HR & People professionals to improve business processes. Including decision-making, resource allocation, performance management, talent management, change management, and more.

Talent Management

Talent management focuses on building a high-performing workforce that can achieve organizational goals. The information from an ONA can help the team attract, develop, and retain top talent in the following ways.

Identify high-potential employees: Insights from the ONA help identify high-potential employees by looking at their network size, reach, influence, and strength. Managers can then create development plans for these high-potential employees, giving them opportunities they need to grow and develop.
Develop succession plans: Promotions often work out better than hiring outside the company for different roles. The ONA can help teams identify employees who have the skills and experience to fill key roles in the organization. Employees can then be groomed for future roles to ensure that the organization has a strong bench of talent.
Build high-performing teams: High performing teams have complementary skills and expertise. The ONA can help make sure that each team has the members needed for success. It can also help build new teams that are more likely to be successful based on skillsets.

Change Management

Change management is a process to help individuals, teams, and organizations transition to new ways of working. Data from an ONA can help inform the process of helping people adapt to change.

Identify change resisters: It's important to prepare for resistance against change. The ONA can help identify employees who are most likely to resist change by looking at their network ties and their position within the organization. Managers can then develop communication plans and training programs that will help employees understand and embrace change.
Identify champions of change: Similar to above, each team and organization will have employees who are more adaptable than others. Those who welcome change and have high influence can be found in an ONA by looking at their network ties and their position within the organization. These employees can be especially helpful in the change process.
Measure the impact of change: The ONA can help show where in the team or organization engagement, productivity, and turnover rates increase or decrease based on the new changes. This information can be used to evaluate the initiatives success and where to adjust in the future.

Performance Management

Performance management includes setting goals, measuring progress, and providing feedback to employees. An ONA helps them evaluate the performance of their employees more holistically.

Additional training or support: The ONA can help identify employees who need additional training or support by looking at their network ties and performance data. Managers can then develop training programs to provide employees with the support they need. This can start at the beginning of the employee lifecycle with improving onboarding structures.
Rewarding holistic performance: Employees who are ready for a promotion can be identified by looking at their network ties, their performance data, and their career goals. If they have positive relationships with the team, high influence, and solid performance, they can be an ideal candidate for a promotion.
Measure the impact of performance management: Measure the impact of your performance management by looking at employee engagement, productivity, and turnover rates. Adjusting your performance management programs can make it a driver of a positive employee experience.

Overall, ONA is a valuable tool that can be used by various teams and leaders to improve the employee experience. These are just a few of the ways leaders can implement changes more effectively while improving performance & engagement.