Exercise 1: Deliver manager insights with Microsoft 365 Copilot

For HR professionals, data is only valuable when it leads to better decisions, stronger management practices, and healthier teams. Engagement scores, attrition rates, training completion, and performance ratings generate volume—but extracting meaning from that data and translating it into clear guidance for leaders is where HR creates real impact.

Microsoft 365 Copilot helps HR professionals bridge this gap by transforming raw people data into relevant, actionable insights. Instead of manually scanning spreadsheets, calculating correlations, or drafting reports from scratch, Copilot can surface patterns, highlight risks, and summarize key trends—allowing HR to focus on interpretation, context, and coaching rather than mechanics.

In this exercise, you use Copilot across Microsoft 365 apps to:

• Analyze manager level HR data and identify indicators of team health
• Uncover relationships between engagement, attrition, training, and performance
• Generate data driven manager summaries that highlight strengths and development opportunities
• Communicate insights clearly and credibly to HR leadership and managers

Rather than replacing HR judgment, Copilot acts as an analytical accelerator—helping you quickly answer questions like:

• Which managers are consistently driving engagement?
• Where do training gaps correlate to higher attrition?
• What insights should leaders prioritize for coaching and intervention?

This exercise shows Copilot enables HR professionals to move from reporting metrics to delivering insight backed recommendations—supporting more informed leadership conversations and targeted people strategies.

[!TIP] The Introduction unit in this module reminded you of the four key elements of an effective prompt: Goal, Context, Sources, and Expectations. Keep these elements in mind as you create prompts in this exercise.

Scenario

You’re an HR Analyst at Contoso Ltd., a global technology company with 8,000 employees. In recent years, Contoso made manager effectiveness a top strategic priority, recognizing that strong leadership directly impacts employee engagement, retention, and overall business performance. However, the company’s annual employee engagement survey revealed significant disparities across departments. Some teams are thriving under exceptional management, while others are experiencing disengagement, higher attrition, and stagnating performance.

Contoso’s executive leadership, led by the Chief People Officer, is committed to building a culture of accountability and continuous improvement among its managers. To achieve this goal, HR is tasked with implementing a robust, data-driven approach to monitoring manager performance.

This initiative is designed to ensure that every manager receives clear, actionable feedback and has a tailored development plan. By utilizing Microsoft 365 Copilot, HR aims to move beyond traditional reporting and deliver deep, actionable insights that empower leaders to make informed decisions, address challenges proactively, and foster a high-performing, engaged workforce.

Your task is to use Microsoft 365 Copilot to extract insights from manager-level HR data, summarize findings, and communicate targeted recommendations to managers and HR leadership. The insights you generate play a critical role in shaping Contoso’s management culture and driving organizational success.