Introduction: When Data Exists but Insights Don’t
DP World, a global leader in trade, logistics, and supply chain solutions, found itself facing a familiar yet critical internal challenge, turning HR data into strategic insight. Despite operating on a global scale and having access to multiple HR data sources, the company’s Human Resources team struggled to manage, analyze, and visualize workforce data in a way that was meaningful, scalable, and timely.
The team relied heavily on disconnected Excel files stored in SharePoint, along with ad hoc data pulls from various internal systems. As a result, they faced:
- Disorganized and inconsistent data, making it difficult to validate accuracy or track trends.
- Manual, time-consuming reporting processes
prone to inefficiencies and errors.
- Lack of structured data aggregation,
leading to siloed metrics that couldn’t be reliably compared or analyzed.
- Limited visibility into workforce trends, hindering decisions around hiring, compliance, diversity, and sustainability.
Without a centralized and reliable analytics solution,
DP World’s HR leaders were unable to make informed decisions or align the workforce strategy with larger business goals.
The Challenge: Too Much Data, Not Enough Clarity
HR leadership recognized that while they had the information, they lacked the tools and processes to use it effectively. Inconsistent reporting practices and manual data entry created an environment of reactive operations, with valuable time spent troubleshooting spreadsheets instead of guiding strategic workforce planning.
Without a structured reporting framework, it was nearly impossible to:
- Track key performance indicators like time to hire, turnover, and headcount trends.
- Monitor unionized workforce metrics across global operations.
- Ensure compliance with internal policies and regulatory standards.
- Create a unified narrative for executive leadership around workforce performance.
DP World needed a way to bring structure, consistency, and visibility to their HR data, turning chaos into clarity.
The Solution: Structured HR Analytics with Power BI
To solve these challenges, DP World partnered with Brewster Consulting Group to develop a comprehensive, future-ready HR analytics solution. The goal was not only to improve visibility but also to streamline reporting and empower leadership with real-time insight into workforce performance.
Customized Power BI Dashboards
Brewster designed and implemented a suite of three targeted Power BI dashboards, each built around specific areas of HR concern:
1. Core HR KPIs
– Including time to hire, turnover rates, workforce demographics, and headcount management.
2. Unionized Workforce Metrics
– Tracking staffing levels, hiring trends, and performance across union-represented roles.
3. Compliance and Sustainability
– Monitoring regulatory compliance, diversity benchmarks, internal policy adherence, and ESG-related HR goals.
These dashboards were built with usability in mind, ensuring HR professionals could explore insights independently, without relying on analysts or IT support.
Data Management Workflow Overhaul
In addition to dashboard development, Brewster delivered a full revamp of the client’s data management workflows.
This included:
-Structuring and organizing existing data to reduce inconsistency and improve traceability.
-Automating and semi-automating data connections to reduce manual entry and eliminate repetitive system pulls.
-Integrating system-generated and manually tracked data into a centralized reporting environment, enabling holistic views of key trends and metrics.
The result was a modern, structured HR data ecosystem capable of supporting both operational decisions and strategic planning.
Results: Clarity, Confidence, and Strategic Alignment
The impact of Brewster’s work was immediate and lasting across multiple levels of the HR organization:
- Improved visibility into workforce performance,
allowing leadership to respond to issues faster and make proactive decisions around staffing, compliance, and workforce development.
- Streamlined reporting processes,
cutting down significantly on time spent compiling and verifying reports.
- Reliable, centralized dashboards
that gave stakeholders a consistent and up-to-date view of HR health across the organization.
- Stronger alignment across HR initiatives,
thanks to a shared understanding of key metrics and workforce trends.
- Increased confidence in data quality, allowing HR professionals to focus on strategy, not spreadsheets.
What was once a reactive, fragmented process is now a structured, scalable system for insight and decision-making.
Conclusion: From Reactive HR Reporting to Proactive Workforce Strategy
With Brewster Consulting Group’s expertise, DP World has transitioned from outdated manual processes to a robust, dynamic HR analytics environment. The company now has the visibility and tools needed to optimize hiring, improve compliance, and align people strategy with business outcomes.
This transformation showcases how modern HR analytics, when designed around real business needs, can empower global organizations to lead with insight, act with confidence, and plan for growth.