Evidence-based HR popular idea: Survey

But many aren't aware of what it is or impact it can have

Is evidence-based HR just another fad or is it the future of the profession? In an effort to answer this question, Canadian HR Reporter and the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) teamed up to ask HR professionals about how much they know about it, whether it’s essential and whether or not it should be a compulsory topic for HR programs as part of the monthly Pulse Survey series. A total of 370 people, consisting of HRPA members and Canadian HR Reporter readers, responded to the survey.

Evidence-based HR popular idea: Survey

But many aren't aware of what it is or impact it can have

By Shannon Klie

Evidence-based HR is a commitment to finding and using the best theory and data available to make HR decisions, and many HR professionals believe it will help them build credibility for the HR function, according to the latest Pulse Survey.

Fifty-seven per cent of respondents agree evidence-based HR is essential for HR to build credibility, found the survey of 370 Canadian HR Reporter readers and members of the Human Resources Professionals Association.

“Evidence-based HR is going to hold people accountable to look out for the best interests of everyone,” said Anna Marie Damiani, an HR professional with 15 years’ experience in Burlington, Ont.

However, only 24.5 per cent of respondents know a fair amount or a lot about evidenced-based HR and only 29.1 per cent say it has had a notable or big impact on their practice as HR professionals.

Organizations where HR makes decisions without policies or procedures to back them up run the risk of treating employees unfairly and without respect, said Damiani.

Without evidence-based HR, HR professionals might pre-judge a situation or a person, rather than investigating the situation thoroughly to ensure they have all the facts necessary to make a good decision, she said.

“A lot of HR people don’t do that. In the end, it’s to the detriment of the employees as well as the companies,” she said. “But evidence-based HR will force them to follow procedure and take into consideration every aspect of a situation.”

Fifteen per cent of respondents think evidence-based HR is “just another buzz word,” 22.2 per cent think it will have a profound impact on HR and one-quarter of respondents don’t know enough about the concept to have an opinion.

However, 85.5 per cent of respondents want to learn more on the topic, 70.7 per cent think it should be a compulsory topic in HR programs and 18.6 per cent think it should be an elective.

“They need to be taught that. They need to know that is their job” to find out as much as possible about a situation before making a decision, said Damiani.

But evidence-based HR that relies on external benchmarks or best practices is doomed to fail, said David Cohen, a senior HR consultant in Toronto and author of Inside the Box: Leading With Corporate Values to Drive Sustained Business Success.

“Trying to solve a corporate problem using someone else’s data will create more problems than it will solve,” he said.

People and organizations are unique and what works in one organization won’t work in another unless it has the same culture and values, said Cohen.

“Corporations, even if they’re in the same business, even if they’re in the same industry, can’t copy what one does for success. If they do, it’s not going to work for them because it’s not their corporate culture, it’s not their corporate values,” said Cohen.


Not so well-mapped-out (Analysis)

Evidence-based HR is the 'future of HR'

By Claude Balthazard

Evidence-based HR could be dismissed as just another buzz word or a fad, were it not for the fact it has been described as the future of HR and the only way the profession will enhance its credibility and impact in business.

Not surprisingly, survey respondents were somewhat skeptical of the idea. Most respondents (59.2 per cent) think it is something more than just a buzz word or a fad but only 22.3 per cent think it will have a profound impact on HR. Then again, 25.5 per cent just don’t know enough about it to have an opinion. All in all, the preponderance of opinion suggested a move towards more rigorous, data-driven approaches would be a good thing for HR.

When asked whether a move towards evidence-based HR was essential for HR to build credibility, 57.1 per cent agree or strongly agree. And yet, 39.1 per cent indicate it had had no impact at all on their practice as an HR professional.

One clear finding is it’s not a well-understood idea — 40.8 per cent indicate knowing very little or nothing about the idea. When asked about what could be getting in the way of evidence-based HR, the most frequently cited issue (46.1 per cent) is “not a well-mapped-out area.” From the comments, it is clear there are many different ideas as to what evidence-based HR actually means — from case law in jurisprudence to benchmarking and HR metrics, and just about everything in between.

Some suggested it is counter-cultural for HR, making comments similar to the following: “Most HR professionals are not wired to operate in this manner and, therefore, I would categorize this as a profession culture change requirement.”

Many commented about resistance from traditionalists and said HR practitioners are simply not analytical in their thinking. Then again, several think evidence-based HR is the way HR professionals operated already, making comments such as: “Isn’t this what we are and should be doing anyway?”

Some argued the rigorousness of research is what has been missing in HR; others argued HR is an area where research is of limited use because no two organizations are the same. Other respondents argued HR should be all about relationships and people, and not about quantifying things.

The evidence-based HR movement faces a number of challenges: 35 per cent think there is not enough data to make it work and 29.2 per cent think it is something that is “difficult to do in practice.” However, 42 per cent are very interested in finding out more about the topic and 71 per cent think it should be part of the compulsory HR curriculum.

The results suggest there are lessons to be learned from the health professions, where the evidence-based practice movement seems to have taken root and is already well-established.

Claude Balthazard is director of HR excellence and registrar at the Human Resources Professionals Association in Toronto. He can be reached at [email protected].

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