SHL, a London-based talent-measurement company, released its sixth annual Business Outcomes Study Report in Beijing.

The report looks at how organizations use data about their workforces to make business decisions.

A record 66 companies participated in outcome studies in the last 12 months. These organizations represent industries that include financial services, technology, hospitality, media and engineering, and cover many different job roles and levels, including customer service, sales and management.

"People are at the heart of everything we do, so it's imperative that we closely examine the link between our customer's talent decisions and their business outcomes," SHL CEO David Leigh said.

The 2012 report also underscored the growing demand for talent analytics, as businesses seek to determine how their workforces measure up by industry or geography. Talent analytics look at how well an organization is attracting and retaining talent; the strength of its leadership pipeline; and how to make talent programs more effective and efficient.

SHL is a global leader in talent management.