How to Build Employee Trust in Data
Smarter data solutions can be transformative, but also require a dedicated cultural shift to achieve company-wide buy-in
All companies use data to achieve smarter decision-making. Attempting to improve or increase company-wide data use, however, can become as much of a cultural challenge as a technical one.
The reality is that data is increasingly being used not only to make operations more efficient and effective, but for transformative projects that address existential threats to the business. Reaching net zero emissions, for example, is unachievable without clear targets, automated data collection, consistent progress tracking, and advanced analysis of the least impactful option across a wide range of use cases.
Richard Butler, head of data science at Slalom UK, says that getting employees and teams to trust the data and use it to make decisions is one of the biggest hurdles when building a new project. Trust takes a long time to build but can be lost extremely quickly because most people — even those without specialized expertise — can easily notice data inconsistencies.
Address resistance with transparency
With data often being used to improve workflows and productivity, teams can initially interpret new processes as scrutinising or hyper-critical of their performance. If unaddressed, this can lead to resistant or defensive employees.
Butler says it’s important for teams to know why new processes and technologies are being implemented, and ensure they know that it might take time for the data to be up to scratch. This can be achieved by explicitly acknowledging that the process might not be perfect from day one and emphasising the importance of the initiative’s goals.
Give your people a voice
Another core element of creating company-wide participation is ensuring that the entire business is as closely involved with the building of data-based systems and services as possible. This helps people understand that the whole business — not just the IT or data team — is contributing to and exercising ownership of the data.
“The best way to do this is have a business analyst on the data team give the business’s perspective throughout the build,” Butler says. If this isn’t possible, alternatives such as providing regular updates and prototypes can help establish a foundation of trust. This includes asking for feedback and reviews throughout the process.
Start somewhere
Even companies that now have advanced data capabilities had to start somewhere. While Slalom has many clients with advanced data usage, Butler says, each organisation had to start somewhere. Investing in change management is crucial so that everyone within the business understands why these changes are happening.
This is especially true for those embarking on a net zero journey. Butler says net zero data projects can be particularly challenging because there is no clear blueprint for what to measure, or how. Each company needs to figure out which strategies work best for them, but that shouldn’t get in the way of getting started.
By placing Salesforce’s Net Zero Cloud at the centre of your ESG program, we will help you create a culture of innovation and action, using comprehensive and easy reporting to provide the fastest possible path to net zero emissions.
Slalom is a global consulting firm that helps people and organisations dream bigger, move faster, and build better tomorrows for all. Learn more and reach out today.
