More managers should encourage employees to use data – Study

BEING CURIOUS is important in an increasingly progressive digital world, especially where employees have an opportunity to use data to create new opportunities.

Recently, a study found that 70 percent of employees said that they felt their inquisitiveness was restricted in the workplace.

This could indicate that employees are not supported and encouraged to be curious or to explore beyond their job scope. Such limitations hurt companies and hinder them from building an innovative and motivated workforce.

On the other hand, 92 percent of the 3000 employees involved in the study believe that curiosity fuels high performance and job satisfaction. Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos supports this notion.

The use of data fosters a highly evaluative and insightful environment. In fact, companies are always looking for ways to use data they have, through technology solutions and analytical tools they’ve invested in.

Of course, it goes without saying that the right talents are needed to work with data. However, without encouragement, critical thinking processes that would lead to the search for in-depth insights, reasons, effects, and factors behind data will not occur.

Whether a company is data-driven in nature or learning to adopt data-culture in the workforce, being curious about the use of data is a highly rewarding attitude that would greatly benefit the operation in the long run. Managers must allow, nay, endorse employees to question data and probe them to be tactical with data insights.

Of course, an inquisitive work culture does not happen naturally, so managers must work towards creating a conducive and stimulating work environment that encourages curiosity.

Managers must help employees use data

Managers must focus on cultivating the right behavior and mindset to not only get the most out of data but also to push the operation to new heights.

The shift towards a more data-driven culture must start with the managers themselves by exhibiting credible interests in numbers and stats that the company gathers.

It is also a good habit to provide positive reinforcement to employees that are inquisitive and use data to draw insights that are useful to the company.

Accessibility to skills and resources

Employees must receive basic training to make sense of data and understand why the numbers they see matter to the operations.

With the word “data” being verbalized and used more frequently in the workforce, employees must realize the value of data and know its sources.

This is where curiosity is fueled. When more people have access to data and are able to optimize it based on different operational functions, they’re able to do more for the business.

Data is a valuable asset and some level of protection must be enforced, but relevant, reliable and quality data must be made available for employees.

Reliable and manageable tools

More and more technology solutions are being developed to help companies manage and analyze data.

Albeit, having the skills and tools alone are not enough to simulate a data-driven culture in an operation, especially in a competitive business field.

The tools must be easy to be navigated and utilized by employees with basic data knowledge. The tools must also be easily accessible and practical.

Going back to the study, only 24 percent of employees said they felt curious on a regular basis, a relatively weak figure. Change needs to happen and it needs to start with managers building the right culture.

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