In an earlier blog, we mentioned that a good understanding of data literacy is crucial for an organisation. Employees who are able to interpret and communicate data effectively are worth their weight in gold to an organisation. Developing this skill in employees requires a multi-faceted approach, including a good knowledge of business processes. Here are some tips to improve your employees’ data literacy skills:

1. Start at the basics: Besides knowing the basic terms and concepts of data literacy such as understanding data types, understanding object definitions, interpreting data visualisations, understanding analysis tools, it is also fundamental to have intimate knowledge of business processes. This includes knowing how sales data is entered into the systems and further processed, how customer feedback is collected and stored, how inventory is maintained, etc. Properly defining the data literacy concepts and business processes and placing them in an easily accessible central location will ensure that this basic knowledge is not lost.
2. Offers training courses: Offers relevant training on data literacy and business processes. This could be training on data analysis, data visualisation, data management, as well as on specific business processes used by the organisation. Consider using external instructors, investing in online training resources, or training subject matter experts who can train employees internally.
3. Provide access to data: Ensure that employees have access to relevant data so that they can continue to practise analysing and interpreting the data. This can be done through a central reporting system, where the user can work with reports related to his/her tasks. Or by giving access to specific data sets, where the employee can make their own analyses. It is very important to provide the right context to the data and make clear how the available data relates to specific business processes or objectives.
4. Encourage data-driven decision-making: Encourage your employees to use available data in their decision-making process. Include use of data in decision-making in performance evaluation. Provide incentives for employees who make effective use of available information-providing resources. This gives employees an additional incentive to develop their data literacy skills.
5. Encourage a learning culture: Promote a learning culture within your organisation. Encourage employees to seek out new learning methods and offer support to those who want to improve their data literacy. Consider organising workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, or other events where employees can share their knowledge and learn from each other.

Improving employees’ data literacy skills takes time and effort, but is well worth it. By investing in your employees’ data literacy skills and their understanding of business processes, you can harness the full potential of your data and stay one step ahead of your competition.