How to collect labour turnover data

Author: Michael Carty

Summary

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• Decide on the objectives of the proposed labour turnover data exercise.
• Identify the basic data required to achieve these objectives and how the number of employees in the organisation will be measured.
• Decide if a more detailed breakdown of labour turnover data is required, for example data for specific employee groups or information on whether departures were voluntary or involuntary.
• Decide how labour turnover data will be collected and stored, and ensure that everyone involved in the exercise is working to agreed formats and schedules.
• Comply with the rules on data protection if collecting data from which employees can be identified.
• Ensure that all the available labour turnover data sources have been identified.
• Aim to begin the labour turnover data exercise by focusing on a particular part of the workforce, preferably one where resourcing is a known problem.
• Ensure that measures are in place to check, verify and, if necessary, correct the data gathered.
• Establish and stick to a regular data collection schedule - but be prepared to amend it temporarily if pressing resourcing issues result in a need for more frequent data analysis.