Assessment Questions
Task 1
AC 1.1 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.
Evidence-Based Practice in People Practice and Decision-Making
Evidence-based practice forms a standardised method of decision-making through which professionals combine the best research evidence with their experience and organisational considerations to achieve better results (Young, 2024). Through evidence-based practice, people’s practice and organisational decisions become grounded in accurate data instead of unsupported assumptions or historical events.
Pros and Cons of Evidence-Based Practice
Through evidence-based practice, decision outcomes become objective and achieve higher accuracy (Young, 2024). It is also linked with enhanced organisational performance. When organisations use valid data, their decision-making efficiency and productivity improve by choosing solutions that match actual requirements.
However, it is time-consuming. High-quality evidence collection and analysis prove demanding and time-consuming for organisations (Boatman, 2025). It is also prone to resistance to Change. The workforce and leadership teams show reluctance toward exchanging traditional practices in favour of evidence-based approaches (Boatman, 2025).
Evidence-Based Approaches and Their Impact on Decision-Making
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking entails making decisions correctly, which requires objectively evaluating the data, questioning their basic assumptions, and assessing the supporting evidence.
Pros and cons
Eliminating biases leads organisations to make decisions based on clear, logical reasoning. Besides, decisions benefit from this approach because it enables risk evaluation alongside solution-benefit measures (West, 2022).
Nevertheless, decision-makers may lack adequate analytic capabilities to perform this task effectively (Jabaker, 2023). Also, reaction time becomes delayed when organisations need extensive evaluation processes to execute decisions.
Application
For instance, when dealing with skill shortages, critical thinking assists teams, whether the concern’s root cause is recruitment niche, decreased retention or inefficient training. Through systematic data analysis on market trends and employee performance, HR could produce targeted upskilling programs alongside hiring adjustments through systematic market trends combined with employee performance analysis.
Rational Decision-Making Model
This method requires establishing clear issue definitions followed by necessary data collection, alternative assessment, and decision-making steps before reviewing results (Athuraliya, 2024).
Pros and cons
The method guarantees orderly decisions through logical steps to minimise mistakes (Athuraliya, 2024). Also, through this approach, organisations achieve both increased HR transparency and organisational policy accountability.
However, this framework delivers fixed structures that limit organisations’ capacity to adapt swiftly to rapid changes in the business environment. In addition, the exclusive use of data will sometimes fail to detect innovative thinking or intuitive problem-resolution methods (Uzonwanne, 2024).
Application
The model enables HR to track employee attendance data while tracking absence patterns to identify causes through workload stress evaluations and implement flex work arrangements and wellness programs for resolution.
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