Statistical Methods for HR Professionals Using Microsoft Excel

hether your specialty is compensation, training/development or benefits, statistical analysis tools offer powerful methods for measuring and monitoring organizational performance. Much of what you need is available in Microsoft ® Excel, but finding it is another matter. And even when you do find it, some of Excel's built-in statistical capabilities can be much more effective when you couple them with a few well-chosen additions. This workshop shows HR professionals how to use Excel to calculate and present statistics on benefits usage, compensation, evaluations and a host of other data sets that you deal with every day. And it includes a set of macros that make Excel's built-in capabilities much more convenient to use.

Participants learn what Excel has to offer in support of statistical analysis:

• Frequency distributions and histograms
• Linear and non-linear regression
• Weighted averages
• Average, mode, median
• Percentiles, deciles, P90/P10, the Lorenz Curve and the Gini Coefficient
• Standard deviation and coefficient of variation

These techniques are powerful, but when we us them in a straightforward manner we create worksheets that can be difficult to maintain when changes are required. Using Excel's Naming facility, together with a few macros that are provided, makes statistical analysis with Excel much easier.

Learning model

This is a hands-on workshop. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptop computers, with Microsoft Excel 2003 (or later) installed. All examples and macro utilities will be distributed during the workshop by means of a link to a downloadable file archive.

We demonstrate all principles and techniques using simple but realistic examples that enable participants to apply what they learn easily when they return to work. Attendees also receive one hour of email coaching after the workshop.

Target audience

The workshop is aimed at compensation, benefits and training professionals, and their managers.

Program duration

Available in formats from one hour to one day.