4 Effective Ways Businesses Can Better Support Their Analysts
/Skilled business analysts are an increasingly vital resource for many industries. They provide invaluable insights that can improve the potential for a company to thrive. Their combination of technical skills and interpersonal abilities makes them agile contributors to success in a competitive environment.
Still, analysts are not invulnerable by any means. Elements of their employment have the ability to bolster or derail their efficacy. As with any other employee, they require relevant support in a range of areas. This includes bolstering their physical and mental health and their professional growth. By committing to providing support systems, your company can gain both more effective analysts and more engaged employees.
We’re going to dive a little deeper into this issue. How can businesses better support their analysts?
1. Maintain Solid Communication
The role of a business analyst is a highly communicative one. They’re charged with interpreting results, strategizing routes forward, and problem-solving. As such, it tends to attract people who understand the intrinsic value of good communication. One of the ways businesses can better support their analysts is by promoting and maintaining good communicative practices.
This should be present on an organizational level. Identify and break down any silos that disrupt interdepartmental communication. Analysts frequently have to interact with multiple departments in their day-to-day activities and any hurdles to this impact their efficacy - not to mention that it can cause additional stress.
Your approach here should also include providing effective communication tools. An increasing number of analysts are working remotely. As such, they need to be able to ensure they can meaningfully communicate and interact with colleagues wherever they happen to be. Adopt reliable video call and instant messaging software. Make sure there are solid protocols in place to ensure all departments are utilizing these solutions.
2. Provide Access To Health Resources
Your analysts are unlikely to be healthy, productive, or happy if they don’t have relevant wellness resources. This is an area that may require some significant investment. However, it’s important to recognize analysts hold a stressful position that can have an impact on their physical and mental well-being. Your company has a duty of care to them.
This begins with providing an agile health benefits package. Gear this as much toward preventative care as treatment. Make certain they have access to a range of mental health therapy options. This should include professionals specializing in stress and burnout.
Alongside professional care, your resources should include a strong wellness program. Help your employees develop daily self-care habits that support different areas of health. Exercise is a key component of this, as it helps to maintain both physical and mental health. Where possible, subsidize gym memberships or host regular activities. Assist with vital nutrition by providing healthy snacks in the workplace.
3. Invest In Relevant Tools
A key part of supporting your analysts is helping to make sure they have the right tools available to do the job. If the systems and resources you provide them are unsuitable, this only makes their role more difficult and stressful. Placing your investment in the right tools streamlines your processes and supports your growth not to mention it empowers your employees to collaborate in ways that can result in better productivity and potential innovation.
Take the time to regularly review rising technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are seeing an increasing presence in the industry. These software systems support analysts by handling time-consuming repetitive tasks. This frees them to focus on the strategic and interpretive tasks that are a better use of their time and skill sets. However, not all such tools are relevant for all analysts. Seek their insights in these reviews so you can ensure you’re investing in the right products.
Importantly, invest in collaborative tools. While business analysis may seem like an independent activity, it involves and benefits from multiple contributors and departments. Adopt tools that support your analysts in achieving the most positive collaborations. This should include effective data management technology that pulls key information from various departments for analysis. Virtual whiteboard software can also be vital for including remote analysts in planning and strategy meetings.
4. Encourage Their Development
Analysts, as with any professional, have ambitions and goals for their careers. As an employer, you can provide better support by actively encouraging their growth. This also tends to result in more agile and knowledgeable analysts contributing to your business.
Business leaders should regularly talk to analysts about what their targets and needs for progression are. Work together to create a solid plan of forward action. This might include identifying areas for mentorship or gaining experience in different departments.
Also, commit to subsidizing any qualifications or certifications they pursue. This should extend to qualifications that aren’t strictly analytics in nature but have some relevance in the field. This might include management consulting courses, information technology (IT) certifications, or finance. Your investment here is beneficial to your company and can have a positive impact on your analysts’ work satisfaction and retention rates.
Conclusion
For analysts to thrive, they require support in a range of key areas. Solid communicative practices reduce stress and streamline their activities. Strong health resources keep them mentally and physically well. With relevant technological tools, analysts are able to achieve high performance and productivity and your investment in their development can improve both their skills and engagement. Aside from the ethical duty of care involved, your support demonstrates that you recognize your talented analysts and are willing to invest in them.
