SELECTING high impact metrics

Selecting metrics is a process that is like both science and art. Organizations should use systematic processes to identify metrics that make sense for them and their stakeholders. When selecting agency specific metrics, organizational leaders should keep in mind that the combined metrics also should tell the story of how well the agency is meeting its goals or fulfilling its mission.

This section includes a number of tools and templates to help organizations decide which metrics are the most appropriate for them. Before we actually choose metrics, let's discuss the steps to select ing the right ones.

• Step 1: Assess the organization's business requirements
• Step 2: Identify key measurement areas
• Step 3: Collect raw data in high-impact areas
• Step 4: Generate metrics that inform the organization about its performance
• Step 5: Identify associated HR metrics
• Step 6: Consolidate operational and HR metrics into one tactical plan
• Step 7: Evaluate periodically

Typical Operational Measures

Public sector organizations should measure effectiveness indicators. Typically, these metrics report:

• Progress toward stated program goals or outcomes
• Program effectiveness rates such as utilization or recidivism rates
• Ratios, such as staffing ratios or program span of control
• An index of health, wellness or other program condition that is a composite of other indicators
• Productivity of employees or different teams of employees
• Cycle time/efficiency - how long it takes to complete process steps to delivering program service, frequency of on-time delivery

Typical HR Measures

HR measures will track the operational data by reporting the status of the people issues in the organization. Below are some HR measures typically collected.

• Compensation and benefits: market rates, benefit plan competitiveness enrollment and usage statistics
• Attraction and retention: recruitment source effectiveness, turnover reasons, average length of service, factors affecting retention
• Workforce demographics: race, gender, age, education and salary levels
• Training: percentage of employees and management who have taken different training courses, percentage of programs that support the organization's objectives, participant (manager, supervisor, employee) satisfaction reports

Keep in mind that the quality of selecting metrics is a critical success factor to the implementation of metrics. As you review this section remember to ask yourself the question : Does this metric really matter?