Evidence-Based Practice (5C002)
Name
CIPD Number
Word Count
Task One
AC1.1
i. Evaluation of Evidence-based Practices
People professionals often face complicated workplace decisions considering that they can identify
what is influencing better organisational outcomes. Evidence-based practice allows people
professionals to maker effective and better decisions through the utilization of trustworthy and
reliable solutions rather than depending on superficial quick fixes, fads and outdated received
wisdom. The Oxford Review (2023) defines evidence-based practice as organisational operational
decisions that are made on the basis of reliable, valid, current, and available evidence. According to
CIPD (2023), critically appraising the best available evidence sourced from various sources is at the
centre of evidence-based practice. In this case, evidence refers to data, facts or information that can
support or contradict hypotheses, assumptions, or claims that are made during the decision-making
process in an organisation. This ensures that decisions are made conscientiously, explicitly, and
judiciously. According to Boatman (2021), evidence can be sourced from available internal data,
research findings and empirical studies, expert judgment and real experience, and values and
concerns, which ensures that decisions are not based on word-of-mouth success stories, quick fixes,
biases, or trends. Boatman (2021) noted that identifying the problem, developing hypotheses,
gathering data, analyzing data and aggregating evidence, applying the evidence, and assessing the
evidence as the key steps to make evidence-based decisions. Rousseau and Barends (2011)
recommends that people professionals should connect organisational research and effective practice
during evidence-based practice.
ii. How evidence-based practice informs sound decision-making
Evidence-based practice allow people professionals to make informed and sound decision-making
and judgments. HR practitioners can utilize the six steps of evidence based practice to support
sound decision-making. CIPD (2019) identifies the six steps as asking, acquiring, appraising,
aggregating, applying and asking. In the asking stage, HR professionals ask critical questions for
purposes of clarifying the problem and identify a possible solution to the organisational issue. For
instance, HR professionals could ask whether the lack of employee autonomy could be leading to
absenteeism. Then the HR professionals acquire evidence regarding the assumed problem and
preferred solution from practitioners, scientific literature, the organisation, and stakeholders (CIPD,
2019). Thirdly, the evidence is appraised so that only the most trustworthy evidence is used to
inform sound decision-making and judgment. The evidence acquired from the different sources is
then knitted and aggregated together and its implication for people practice discussed in regards
with the problem being addressed. The aggregated evidence is then applied using either the push
(used for routine and operational practices such as hiring), pull (used to change routine
organisational operations) or learn by doing (used for hyper-complex and novel decisions) approach
(CIPD, 2019). Finally, the decision’s outcome is evaluated to identify whether the desired results
were delivered based whether the new HR practice was implemented as planned. By following this
approach, people professionals are able to use evidence-based practice to support sound decision
making and judgments.
AC1.2
Business Analysis Tool: Ansoff Matrix
Name
CIPD Number
Word Count
Task One
AC1.1
i. Evaluation of Evidence-based Practices
People professionals often face complicated workplace decisions considering that they can identify
what is influencing better organisational outcomes. Evidence-based practice allows people
professionals to maker effective and better decisions through the utilization of trustworthy and
reliable solutions rather than depending on superficial quick fixes, fads and outdated received
wisdom. The Oxford Review (2023) defines evidence-based practice as organisational operational
decisions that are made on the basis of reliable, valid, current, and available evidence. According to
CIPD (2023), critically appraising the best available evidence sourced from various sources is at the
centre of evidence-based practice. In this case, evidence refers to data, facts or information that can
support or contradict hypotheses, assumptions, or claims that are made during the decision-making
process in an organisation. This ensures that decisions are made conscientiously, explicitly, and
judiciously. According to Boatman (2021), evidence can be sourced from available internal data,
research findings and empirical studies, expert judgment and real experience, and values and
concerns, which ensures that decisions are not based on word-of-mouth success stories, quick fixes,
biases, or trends. Boatman (2021) noted that identifying the problem, developing hypotheses,
gathering data, analyzing data and aggregating evidence, applying the evidence, and assessing the
evidence as the key steps to make evidence-based decisions. Rousseau and Barends (2011)
recommends that people professionals should connect organisational research and effective practice
during evidence-based practice.
ii. How evidence-based practice informs sound decision-making
Evidence-based practice allow people professionals to make informed and sound decision-making
and judgments. HR practitioners can utilize the six steps of evidence based practice to support
sound decision-making. CIPD (2019) identifies the six steps as asking, acquiring, appraising,
aggregating, applying and asking. In the asking stage, HR professionals ask critical questions for
purposes of clarifying the problem and identify a possible solution to the organisational issue. For
instance, HR professionals could ask whether the lack of employee autonomy could be leading to
absenteeism. Then the HR professionals acquire evidence regarding the assumed problem and
preferred solution from practitioners, scientific literature, the organisation, and stakeholders (CIPD,
2019). Thirdly, the evidence is appraised so that only the most trustworthy evidence is used to
inform sound decision-making and judgment. The evidence acquired from the different sources is
then knitted and aggregated together and its implication for people practice discussed in regards
with the problem being addressed. The aggregated evidence is then applied using either the push
(used for routine and operational practices such as hiring), pull (used to change routine
organisational operations) or learn by doing (used for hyper-complex and novel decisions) approach
(CIPD, 2019). Finally, the decision’s outcome is evaluated to identify whether the desired results
were delivered based whether the new HR practice was implemented as planned. By following this
approach, people professionals are able to use evidence-based practice to support sound decision
making and judgments.
AC1.2
Business Analysis Tool: Ansoff Matrix
