In its evolution, HRM, as a profession, has moved from being a `service provider' to the present status of a `business partner' or a `business driver'. Of late, HR Metrics and now HR Analytics are being viewed as vital requirements to assess HR impact on the various business parameters. This article, the first in the series, makes an attempt to understand the various dimensions of `measurement', as applicable to HR domain and activities in an organization. Hence, a look into the various dimensions of metrics provides a `curtain raiser' for HR managers, interested in maximizing the value of their HR function.

It has now become a cliché to say that, in the present day business and competitive scenario, the impact of everything that affects business must be measured. The word `intangible' must be regarded as `untouchable'. Without measurements, there is no place for a process, howsoever simple or complex, or relevant or not. The matured view seems to be that we must attempt to measure most things that we do, individually as well as in our teams, so that our decisions and actions are better focused on what we need to get at. In other words, in order to align HRM with organizational goals, it is imperative that suitable measure must be found and integrated with business outcome so that the business manager derives a `value' out of such transactions in the HR domain. It is pertinent to note that if HRM has to get its rightful place at the table, and if HRM is to be driven by `numerator' (and not by denominator), HRM metrics can be definitely used as a launch vehicle to get there. The following quotation aptly summarizes the point:

To move to the center of organization, HR must be able to talk in quantitative, objective terms. Organizations are managed by data

Before actually instituting metrics, there is a need to understand the philosophy of such metrics in the overall context of the business and the organization. The following questions must be answered:

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