Today businesses rely on data more than ever, ensuring that information is accurate, actionable, and properly managed can make or break a technology investment. This episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast unpacks the complex, often overlooked role of data quality in HR technology and system implementation. Chris and fellow LACErs Martin Colyer and Becki Lovelady, explores the impact of poor-quality data.
How can bad data affect your organisation?
One of the biggest challenges organisations faces is poor data quality. As Becki explains, it’s not just an HR or IT issue — the ripple effects are felt across the business, from finance to operations. When data is inaccurate or poorly structured, it undermines analytics, weakens reporting, and makes it harder to support strategic decisions. Martin puts it simply: data is the lifeblood of any system. It’s what keeps your technology running smoothly and delivering real value. Without a strong data foundation, even the best systems will struggle to perform.
Organisations should start viewing data as an asset, not just a byproduct of HR processes. There is a need for early and continuous data planning—not just during implementation, but well into a system’s lifecycle. Data quality isn’t a one-time fix; it demands a long-term strategy supported by a culture that values good data habits. Educating the wider business on why data matters is key. Success comes from making the impact of poor data personal and relatable to stakeholders, ensuring they see how it affects their own work.
How do you ensure data quality stays high?
After the initial launch organisations often lose momentum, which can quickly lead to deteriorating data quality. Keeping data and analytics teams connected with users and business leaders ensures continuous improvement, system optimisation, and better long-term returns on investment.
Listen now to understand why high data quality is essential and how to sustain it over time. This topic is explored in greater detail in a dedicated chapter of our Less Stress HRIS: Part Two whitepaper.
Want to be notified when the newest episode is released? Join here for HR on the Offensive podcast LinkedIn group.
