Digital trace data as a tool for assessing competencies: the case of the Gazprom neft

Large companies can use the analysis of employees’ digital trace data to increase the efficiency and objectivity of business processes of assessment of employee competencies. New technologies allow to accumulate data on the activities of employees related to their work performance in the information systems of companies. The results of employees training, protocols of their interaction on professional issues, the results of recruiting procedures form their digital footprints and can be used to regularly assess their professional growth. A significant problem in applying the idea of using digital footprints to assessing competencies is the choice of assessment metrics. At present, there are no described methods of using digital footprints of personnel. The objective of the work is to describe the case of using the digital footprints to assess the level of professional competencies of data science specialists from Gazprom Neft and describe the approach to assessing the professional competencies of employees using their digital data. Gazprom Neft has chosen as the assessment metric the level of competence employee development, which is determined through a set of “activities” of employees confirmed by digital artifacts, information about which is entered into the information system. The method for assessing the professional competencies of employees described in the article, was used as the basis for an approach to assessing competencies using digital data. This approach makes it possible to increase the efficiency of business processes in HR and can be used in companies of various industries and scales. The key advantages of the approach are its universality and objectivity. The results of the research can be used in companies that use a competency-based approach to the assessment of professional competencies of personnel, and form the first step in the development of the theory and practice of using digital traces of employees in company’s management.

digital trace data, competency assessment, data-driven management, competency-based approach, digital profile, digital competence level

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