Evidence-Based HR

What is it and why should we use it?

The findings of a CRF report shed light on how evidence informs decision-making in human resources.

“Around 38% of respondents said they always use internal quantitative data, 25% said they always use internal qualitative data or 17% said they used stakeholder interviews.”

EBHR can significantly influence HR strategies. Whether relying on data-driven metrics, qualitative insights, or stakeholder perspectives, HR professionals can skillfully navigate a multifaceted landscape to enhance organisational success.

Learn more about the 3 main differences between typical HR processes and EBHR from Rob Briner, Professor of Organisational Psychology, Queen Mary University of London, Associate Director of Research CRF, Visiting Professor Birkbeck University of London.

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Defining Evidenced-Based HR

Evidence-Based HR is defined by Rob Briner, Professor of Organisational Psychology, Queen Mary University London, Associate Director of Research CRF, Visiting Professor Birkenhead University of London, as using multiple sources of evidence to identify a potential problem or opportunity, and then using a structured approach to identify what might be a likely intervention or solution.

What to do with contradictory evidence

In Rob Briner’s experience having contradictory evidence is normal, the Questions you might ask yourself are: 1. Are the sources of evidence reliable, is the data good quality? 2. If they are, Why are the sources of evidence telling you something different? 3. What does the contradictory data tell you about your setting or organisational context?

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How are you defining potential problems?

Using multiple sources of evidence to identify potential problems. Rob Briner, Professor of Organisational Psychology, Queen Mary University London, shares an example with us of contradictory evidence through the lens of employee engagement.

Isn't HR already evidence-based?

In your team can you admit when things don't work

01.

White Paper

Why do successful businesses rely on evidence-based HR tools and what impact do they have? Facts, tools and research on making evidence based HR work for you.

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02.

FAQ

What is Evidence-Based HR?

We’ve been discussing this subject with a lot of our clients lately, and many meaningful insights were prompted by re-framing the question, take a look at the FAQ.

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An approach to implementing Evidence-Based HR

Source CIPD

Need Advice?

01.

Ask critical questions:

Define the problem or issue you want to address and formulate clear and specific questions that guide your search for evidence.

02.

Acquire the evidence:

Search for and collect relevant evidence from the four sources: scientific, organisational, practitioner and stakeholder.

03.

Appraise the evidence:

Assess the quality, reliability and validity of the evidence you have gathered and identify any gaps, biases or limitations.

04.

Aggregate the evidence:

Compare and weigh the evidence from different sources and synthesise the main findings and implications.

05.

Apply the evidence:

Use the evidence to inform your decision-making and recommendations and communicate them clearly and persuasively to the relevant stakeholders.

Evidence-Based HR in Action

Our case study provides a real-world example of how EBHR processes can be applied in the workplace. For a deeper dive, see CRF's comprehensive report.

Need Advice?

01.

Case Study

An example of how an organisation might apply EBHR approaches.

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02.

Research Paper

Strong Foundations: Evidence-Based HR, by Corporate Research Forum (CRF)

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