Quantitative and Qualitative Evidence

Evidence-based practice
This unit assignment addresses the significance of capturing robust quantitative and qualitative evidence to inform meaningful insight to influence critical thinking. It focuses on analysing evidence through an ethical lens to improve decision-making and how measuring the impact of people practice is essential in creating value.

CIPD’s insight
Technology and data use in HR functions (March 2023).
Is there an ideal ratio when it comes to the size of HR teams in organisations? There are plenty of variables to consider. These include HR’s role in the business, the extent to which ‘HR responsibilities’ are delegated elsewhere, the capability and capacity of those with said responsibilities, and of course, how technology and data are used to support HR functions.
In this article, we outline the findings from our survey of 1,174 UK-based HR bosses to shed light on HR’s operating model from a technology and data perspective. Respondents were from organisations with 50 or more employees worldwide – the size we’d expect technology like HR information systems (HRIS) to become crucial for keeping track of employee records.
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/work/technology/workplace-people-management/technology-data-hr-functions

Evidence-based practice for effective decision-making (April 2022)
Evidence-based practice is about making better decisions, informing action that has the desired impact. An evidence-based approach to decision-making is based on a combination of using critical thinking and the best available evidence. It makes decision makers less reliant on anecdotes, received wisdom and personal experience – sources that are not trustworthy on their own. It’s important that people professionals to adopt this approach because of the huge impact management decisions have on the working lives and wellbeing of people in all sorts of organisations worldwide. This factsheet outlines the four sources of evidence considered key to effective evidence-based practice, before highlighting the importance of combining these to ensuring actions have the greatest chance of success. It outlines and refutes a number of misconceptions about evidence-based practice, before looking at literature which demonstrates the effectiveness of evidence-based practice. Finally, the factsheet explains the practical implications of applying evidence-based practice to real-life organisational scenarios.
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/analytics/evidence-based-practice-factsheet

People analytics (May 2021)
People analytics is about analysing data about people to solve business problems. You can find people data from HR systems, from other departments like IT, and from external sources such as salary surveys. You can use insights from people data to drive organisational change.
In this factsheet, we explain what people analytics is, why it’s important and how it’s used. We introduce key terms such as correlation, causation, predictive and prescriptive. We also discuss who is responsible for people analytics as well as the strategy and process for doing people analytics.
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/analytics/factsheet

Please note that the purpose of this insight is to link you to CIPD’s research and evidence within the subject area, so that you can engage with the latest thinking. It is not provided to replace the study required as part of the learning or as formative assessment material.
Scenario
Your manager has just returned from the monthly Senior Management meeting where all departmental heads have been asked to present a report that showcases how they contribute to business performance. As someone who has experience in evidence-based practice and data analytics, she has asked if you would produce a report for Senior Management that explains what evidence-based practice is and its relevance to people professionals. She would also like you to include practical examples of the types of data analysis that people practitioners use to gain insight into people practices.

In readiness for this you are required to complete a report comprising two sections.

Section One –Report
For section one, you are to produce a report that provides the Senior Management team with knowledge and understanding of what evidence-based practice is and the approaches that can be taken for effective critical thinking and decision-making that ensures integrity and value is upheld.

You must ensure that you:

 Evaluate the concept of evidence-based practice and assess how approaches to evidence-based practice can be used to provide insight that supports sound decision-making across a range of people practices and organisational issues. (AC 1.1)
 Evaluate one appropriate analysis tool and one appropriate analysis method that might be applied by organisations to recognise and diagnose issues, challenges, and opportunities. (AC 1.2)
 Explain the main principles of critical thinking and describe how these might apply to your own and others’ ideas to assist objective and rational debate. (AC 1.3)
 Explain three decision-making processes that can be applied to ensure that effective outcomes are achieved. (AC 1.4)
 Assess three different ethical perspectives and explain how understanding of these can be used to inform and influence moral decision-making. (AC 1.5)
 Appraise two different ways organisations measure financial and non-financial performance, providing one example of each. (AC 3.1)
 Explain how people practices add value in an organisation and identify two methods that might be used to measure the impact of people practices. (AC 3.2)

You should relate to academic concepts, theories and professional practice throughout your report to ensure that your work is critical and informed by using key academic texts, articles and relevant publications. All cited references used should be correctly acknowledged and presented in full in a bibliography at the end of your report.

Section Two – Quantitative and qualitative analysis review
For section two, you are to provide a quantitative and qualitative analysis review using the two sets of data provided.

Firstly, review the Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Salary data that is presented in Table 1 and provide analysis of it to show the:

a) percentage of each gender by type.
b) ethnicity as a percentage per team.
c) disability percentage as an organisational whole and by teams.
d) salary difference across genders.
e) overall average salary paid by the organisation.

Present your findings using appropriate diagrammatical forms and make justifiable recommendations based on your evaluations.

Table 1 – Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Salary Data – (please click on the icon to open the table)

Secondly, Table 2 gives the rating feedback scores for a sample of 300 employees taken from a recent survey on hybrid working practices. Provide scrutiny of the applied scores, present written commentary on any themes or patterns that might be occurring, and present recommendations based on your findings.

Table 2 – Feedback scores from a recent employee survey on hybrid working practices

Completion of the above two activities will address the following ACs:

 With reference to a people practice issue, interpret analytical data using appropriate analysis tools and methods. (AC 2.1)

 Present key findings for stakeholders from people practice activities and initiatives. (AC 2.2)

 Make justified recommendations based on evaluation of the benefits, risks and financial implications of potential solutions. (AC 2.3)