Analytics · HR glossary

Descriptive Analytics

Descriptive analytics summarises what happened in a dataset. Counts, averages, rates and trend charts make past or current workforce activity easier to understand.

Example

An HR report shows that 12 employees left during a quarter, broken down by department and whether each departure was voluntary.

What to keep in mind

Descriptive analysis can reveal a pattern but cannot explain its cause by itself. Keep reporting periods and definitions consistent, and inspect distributions when an average hides very different experiences.

Further reading

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