--- title: "What is workforce intelligence? Meaning and uses | Findem" description: "Workforce intelligence combines internal workforce data with external labor market data. Learn where the data comes from and how talent leaders use it." url: "https://www.findem.ai/glossary/workforce-intelligence" --- # What is workforce intelligence? ← Back to glossary HR & Workforce Planning Workforce intelligence is the combination of an organization's internal workforce data with external labor market data to guide decisions about hiring, locations, skills, and workforce planning. It answers questions internal reports cannot, such as where the needed skills exist, how competitors' workforces are changing, and whether the market can realistically supply the roles in a plan. ## How workforce intelligence is defined Analysts and vendors use the term workforce intelligence in different ways. Most uses combine two kinds of data: - **Internal workforce data:** Headcount, roles, skills, tenure, turnover, and performance from the HRIS, ATS, and other systems. This is the territory of [people analytics](https://www.findem.ai/glossary/people-analytics). - **External labor market data:** Employment, wages, job openings, skills demand, and talent supply by location and industry. Labor market data covers workforce trends, talent availability, pay, and skills demand. Workforce intelligence puts that external view next to what an organization knows about its own people. Public data is a common starting point. The US Department of Labor points employers to [workforce information](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/employers/workforce-information) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, including statistics on employment, industry location, and wages. The BLS [Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey](https://www.bls.gov/jlt/jltdef.htm) (JOLTS) tracks job openings, hires, and separations. The Department's Employment and Training Administration also [funds state workforce agencies](https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20200915-2) to produce state and local workforce and labor market information, using the same methodology BLS uses for national employment projections. ## Why workforce intelligence matters for talent teams Hiring plans fail when they assume talent the market cannot supply. Workforce intelligence helps teams check those assumptions: - **Location decisions:** Leaders can compare talent supply across metros before choosing where to hire or expand. - **Role feasibility:** Teams can see whether the experience a role needs exists in the market at the scale the plan requires. - **Competitor activity:** Changes in how peer companies hire and retain talent show where competition for skills is rising. - **Internal coverage:** Comparing internal skills with external supply shows where to develop, hire, or move people. ## How Findem approaches workforce intelligence Findem is a People Intelligence Platform. It builds workforce intelligence from people-level data. Findem's [3D People Graph](https://www.findem.ai/why-findem/3d-data) connects trillions of data points across individuals, companies, and time, and combines a customer's ATS and CRM data with career histories, contributions, publications, patents, funding events, and company milestones from more than 100,000 data sources. [Findem market intelligence](https://www.findem.ai/products/market-intelligence) uses that foundation to benchmark how companies hire, grow, and retain talent, to show where talent is concentrated and how it moves over time, and to help leaders identify emerging roles and anticipate skill gaps. It is built for talent leaders, workforce planners, and partners across finance and strategy, and its insights update as markets shift. Findem's [platform guide to talent market intelligence](https://www.findem.ai/blog/talent-market-intelligence-and-workforce-flow-analytics) also sets limits on what the data shows. A large external talent pool does not mean a company can fill roles quickly, because pool size does not measure candidate interest, compensation fit, employer competition, work authorization, availability, or recruiting execution. The guide recommends validating reachability through channel response and pipeline evidence before committing to a hiring plan, and keeping people accountable for workforce decisions. ## Further reading - [Talent market intelligence and workforce flow analytics: A platform guide](https://www.findem.ai/blog/talent-market-intelligence-and-workforce-flow-analytics) - [Talent intelligence platforms: What they are and how to choose one](https://www.findem.ai/blog/ai-talent-intelligence-platforms) - [What is people intelligence?](https://www.findem.ai/blog/what-is-people-intelligence) ## Related terms - [People analytics](https://www.findem.ai/glossary/people-analytics) - [People Intelligence Platform](https://www.findem.ai/glossary#term-people-intelligence-platform) - [Insights powered by Findem](https://www.findem.ai/glossary#term-insights-powered-by-findem) - [Headcount planning](https://www.findem.ai/glossary/headcount-planning) ## Sources - [Workforce information for employers](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/employers/workforce-information) U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration - [JOLTS data definitions](https://www.bls.gov/jlt/jltdef.htm) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - [Department of Labor awards Workforce Information Grants to States](https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20200915-2) U.S. Department of Labor, September 15, 2020 - [Findem market intelligence](https://www.findem.ai/products/market-intelligence) - [3D People Graph](https://www.findem.ai/why-findem/3d-data) - [Talent market intelligence and workforce flow analytics: A platform guide](https://www.findem.ai/blog/talent-market-intelligence-and-workforce-flow-analytics) Market intelligence that shapes stronger strategy. Benchmark how companies hire, grow and retain talent. Findem's market intelligence helps leaders assess talent availability, competitor hiring and locations. [See market intelligence](https://www.findem.ai/products/market-intelligence) [Request a demo](https://www.findem.ai/request-demo) ## Frequently asked questions. **What is the difference between workforce intelligence and people analytics?** People analytics mainly analyzes data about an organization's current employees, such as turnover, engagement, and performance. Workforce intelligence puts external labor market data next to that internal view, so leaders can compare their workforce with the talent available in the market. **What is the difference between workforce intelligence and talent intelligence?** The terms overlap, and no standards body separates them. Talent intelligence usually describes data about candidates and employees used for hiring and workforce decisions. Workforce intelligence, as this page uses it, emphasizes workforce-level questions about roles, skills, and locations. **Where does workforce intelligence data come from?** Internal data comes from systems such as the HRIS, ATS, and payroll. External data includes government statistics such as BLS employment, wage, and JOLTS data, state labor market information, company job postings, salary surveys, and data on professional careers and companies. **Does a large talent pool mean a role will be easy to fill?** No. Pool size does not measure candidate interest, compensation fit, employer competition, work authorization, availability, or recruiting execution. Check reachability through channel response and pipeline evidence before committing to a hiring plan. **How does Findem support workforce intelligence?** Findem market intelligence benchmarks how companies hire, grow, and retain talent, shows where talent is concentrated and how it moves, and helps leaders anticipate skill gaps. It runs on Findem's 3D People Graph, which connects trillions of data points across individuals, companies, and time.