There is no question that responsibility for reward programs is migrating from some of the more traditional disciplines (like sales and product marketing) to HR or some other focal point within the enterprise. Why? For starters, non-cash is becoming an increasingly important component of The Total Rewards formula. Sarbanes Oxley and good corporate management are other factors. Financial executives are demanding proof of the business case before authorizing funds and better control and management of the investment along the way.

Not only is this increased scrutiny good for shareholders it also signals opportunity for HR executives looking to get a better seat at the planning table. Aided by data dashboards, HR has a tool that can help strengthen its position as a strategic leader within the organization.  Dashboards provide a better view of trends and allow planners to track performance against the original business case monitoring ROI more meaningfully. HR can spot, sometimes anticipate, sales or operational misalignment before the program investment gets seriously off track. HR is now in a better position to make proactive suggestions to C-level colleagues on where and how to modify program emphasis and/or funding.

The sheer amount and velocity of change we all deal with can be overwhelming.  In our fast-paced world a data dashboard’s real value is not limited to program management. Used properly dashboards can be part crystal ball as well.