Step 2: Know the numbers that matter

This is part two of our series on blended workforce implementation. In step one, we covered defining business outcomes. Here we will take a look at knowing the numbers that matter.

Benchmarking is the next stop on your blended workforce journey

You know that feeling when you jump in the Uber, head to the airport and then abruptly land at the security checkpoint. The destination is just within reach, the sun and sand dancing in your head, but you have to check all the boxes before you can really take off – that’s step two to implementing a blended workforce. Step two – establishing benchmarks – is the gateway to the good stuff.

Integrating a blended workforce is a strategic business decision. Like all strategic business decisions, you have to benchmark where your business is today in order to determine if you’re making progress and have allocated the right capacity, investment and skills to get from where you stand today to the declared business outcomes.

In step two you will benchmark your outcomes and establish a rhythm of business that drives accountability and transparency into progress toward your declared outcomes.

People trust leaders who make data-driven decisions

One of the most fulfilling performance compliments I ever received from my former COO was “she always knows her numbers.” When you know your numbers, you operate with transparency and confidence, make informed data-driven decisions and ultimately build trusted working relationships with your team, peers and senior leadership. When the next big project or budget release comes around your name is at the top of the list because you know where to dig-in to right the ship or continue navigating toward success.

Define the benchmark

Every time your team lands on a Key Result, document the definition of the metric. Why? Because when the going gets tough, it’s really easy to manipulate data to tell a better story. We’re not here for that. We believe in reality, consistency and transparency, which means that having a data definition documented holds everyone to the original purpose of the metric.

Imagine that your team landed on “Increase form conversion rate by ¼ point within 12 months” as their Key Result. You would define that metric now to ensure that when a future data analyst pulls reporting for your monthly business review, you aren’t explaining away any asterisks on the reporting.

In this scenario, a metric definition could look like this: “Form conversion rate is defined as any unique user completing form submit on the ‘learn more form’ within the calendar month, displayed in a month-over-month view from the start of the fiscal year to date.

This includes:

• A “what”: A form submit on the ‘learn more form’
• A “who”: Any unique user
• Time frame for each data point: “calendar month”
• Data presentation and comparison: “a month-over-month view”
• What is the reporting period: “start of the fiscal year to date”

Delivering reporting

Every measurable business outcome, whether it’s a Key Result or KPI, must have a reporting plan behind it. This does not mean that all reporting must be automated, but you do need to answer the following questions, assign ownership and set expectations.

Where will the data originate? In a best-case scenario, you have some tooling. This could be everything from a CRM, to Quickbooks, to Power BI fed by a dataverse – that allows you to produce reliable, clean data views with the click of a button. If that’s not the case, that’s OK. A little .csv download and pivot tables will do the trick, but you have to commit to being consistent in how you access, filter and format the data.

Who will deliver reporting? Depending on the size and scope of an organization, this could be anyone from a business manager or analyst to leadership team member or admin. It’s really a matter of determining what skill or expertise is required to access the data – is this a one-click wonder or a SQL query formatted to a dashboard? In any case, assigning ownership is a must do.

When will reporting be shared? Read “Rhythms of Business”. Determine when and to what audience the reporting needs to be shared – be conscious of how often the data you’re reviewing will truly move in a meaningful way.

For something slow-moving like Net Promoter Score (NPS), quarterly is likely sufficient. For social audience growth, weekly may be a more beneficial cadence. No matter, put a stake in the ground and stick to it.

Be thoughtful about the audience to whom you share the data – how often does your senior leadership team need to be informed to make decisions and is that different than your individual contributors who are in the business testing and iterating as efficiently and effectively as possible?

Rhythms of business

Come together, right now. Blended workforce is not a rallying cry for political activism (wait, it actually can be. Hello pay equity, access to economic opportunities, worker classification!), but the sentiment of coming together is real and necessary.

In Lions & Tigers’ change methodology, TRUST, a team’s rhythms of business are the needle that pulls the red thread through any change to the business. Integrating a blended workforce is a change exercise and as you’ll read in step four why it deserves a thoughtful approach. Applying consistency to when and how teams and information sharing happen – virtual or in-person – builds Trust and nurtures working Relationships while the team Uproots old ways of working to build a more Sustainable working model, paying Tribute to the work and accomplishments required to move from current state to the declared business outcomes.

Getting your team aligned and working toward the same goals is, frankly, gold. Build rhythms into your business that enable your team to consistently share progress against the benchmark and story tell what activities are happening that accrue to achieving the defined business outcomes builds a sense of camaraderie and allows each person to understand how their work impacts the business outcomes.

The ritual of coming together monthly or quarterly is an important touchpoint that centers every player as they all work to ruthlessly prioritize the declared outcomes, fending off the myriad of distractions – customer feedback, the competition’s newest release, moves in the ever-shifting market – that can disrupt progress. Rhythms of business allow your team to settle and return 100% focus to the task at hand.

With business outcomes defined, benchmarks established, and reporting ownership and rhythms of business defined, it’s finally time to assemble the dream team.

Interested in learning more? Read the full series below.

How to Implement a Blended Workforce

Step 1: Define business outcomes

Step 2: Know the numbers that matter

Step 3: Assemble the dream team

Step 4: Do it. Integrate a blended workforce

Written by Ashley Jude