HR isn’t just about people. It’s also about data. Today, successful HR teams rely on key metrics to understand what’s working and what needs to change. Whether you're hiring, developing talent, or reducing turnover, tracking the right data helps you act with clarity.
In this post, we’ll walk through the top HR metrics every HR professional should track. These will help you measure performance, align with business goals, and support your people more effectively.
What are HR Metrics and Why Do They Matter?
HR metrics are data points that help you measure how your people-related efforts are performing. These include numbers related to hiring, retention, engagement, and development.
Tracking these metrics helps answer questions like:
- Are we hiring the right people fast enough?
- Why are employees leaving?
- Is our onboarding process effective?
- How engaged is our workforce?
When used well, HR metrics turn people management into a strategic function. It’s no longer just administrative work.
Which Hiring Metrics Should You Track?
Time to Hire
This shows how long it takes to fill a position. If the time is too long, it might point to process issues or delays.
Quality of Hire
This is usually measured through performance or manager feedback. If many new hires underperform, your screening or onboarding might need a review.
Cost per Hire
This includes job ads, tools, recruiter hours, and agency fees. Tracking this helps you plan smarter and spend better.
Offer Acceptance Rate
A low rate may mean your offers aren’t competitive. It could also mean candidates lose interest during the hiring process.
How Can You Measure Employee Retention?
Turnover Rate
This shows how many people leave during a set period. High turnover often signals deeper issues like culture, management, or workload.
Voluntary vs. Involuntary Turnover
Breaking this down helps you see if people are choosing to leave or being let go. This shapes your next steps.
Retention Rate by Department or Role
Some teams may retain talent better than others. This helps you see where support or changes are needed.
What Metrics Reflect Employee Engagement?
Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)
This shows how likely someone is to recommend your company as a workplace. It’s a fast and simple way to check engagement levels.
Absenteeism Rate
High unplanned absence may mean burnout or low engagement. You can track this alongside survey results for better context.
Internal Mobility Rate
When people move into new roles inside the company, it’s a sign of career growth. Low mobility might mean employees feel stuck.
What About Onboarding and Development?
New Hire Retention Rate
This shows how many new hires stay beyond 6 or 12 months. If the rate is low, your onboarding may need to improve.
Training Completion Rate
If people skip required learning, it may be due to poor content or lack of time. Both are worth checking.
Promotion Rate
A healthy promotion rate shows you’re building future leaders. If it’s low, employees may not see a path forward.
How Often Should You Track These Metrics?
Most companies track their core metrics every month or quarter. But collecting data isn’t enough. You also need to analyze it, spot trends, and share the insights.
Start with just a few high-impact metrics. It’s better to track five well than twenty with no clear action.
HR metrics help you see what’s really happening with your people. They remove guesswork from hiring, retention, and engagement. By tracking a few important metrics, you can make smarter decisions and improve your impact.
Want to improve how you track hiring data?
Request a demo to see how Peoplebox helps teams focus on the right metrics. https://www.peoplebox.biz/en/demo-request
