3CO02 Assignment Example

Task 1

Assessment Questions

AC 1.1 Explain what evidence-based practice is and how it might be applied within an organisation.

Decisions made by an organization significantly impact both its financial performance and reputation. Therefore, adopting evidence-based approaches in human resource management is essential for organizational success. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, evidence-based practice involves making informed decisions that lead to effective actions. It relies on a combination of critical thinking and the best available evidence (Young, 2022). Various sources support this approach, including internal HR data, external business insights, competitor analysis, expert judgment, real-world experience, and research findings.

In my HR management practices, evidence-based approaches play a crucial role. For example, using rational decision-making can help develop effective employee retention policies. This involves identifying key challenges such as limited training opportunities, inadequate compensation, and lack of career growth. By evaluating different solutions, I can determine that investing in training and development is a cost-effective strategy. It not only enhances employee skills and productivity but also improves retention more sustainably than increasing salaries alone (Chi, 2018).

Additionally, evidence-based practices can improve hiring decisions. By leveraging internal data on the skills and competencies required for success, I can ensure better recruitment outcomes (Boatman, 2021). Competitor analysis and labor market data also help in designing attractive compensation and benefits packages to attract top talent. Regularly monitoring labor market trends further enables timely adjustments in recruitment and retention strategies, reducing costs and ensuring a stable workforce.

AC 1.2 Explain the importance of using data in organisations and why it is necessary to ensure that data is accurate when determining problems and issues.

Data refers to information that is collected, stored, and organized for analysis. It can take various forms, including text, numbers, images, or a combination of these (MajestEYE, 2023).

Using data in decision-making helps drive organizational growth and improve performance. For instance, when creating strategic plans, data analysis can reveal trends and patterns that enhance decision-making (MajestEYE, 2023). Examining internal data can highlight weaknesses and suggest improvements in areas such as product development, operations, customer service, and marketing.

Data also helps organizations solve common challenges (The Council on Quality and Leadership, 2021). For example, analyzing performance data across different departments can identify underlying issues. If an organization experiences a drop in performance, workforce data might reveal increased employee turnover and absenteeism as contributing factors. This insight can guide strategies such as offering training programs, better compensation, and benefits to boost employee engagement, efficiency, and motivation.

Additionally, data plays a key role in risk management. For example, analyzing turnover, retirement, and absenteeism data can help organizations plan ahead by cross-training employees, developing succession plans, and hiring temporary staff to prevent workforce shortages. This ensures smooth operations, customer satisfaction, and revenue stability.

To make effective decisions, organizations must use accurate, reliable, and credible data (Reddy, 2022). High-quality data fosters trust and transparency between management and stakeholders, preventing flawed decisions that could harm the organization’s reputation, reduce customer loyalty, and make it harder to attract top talent. Moreover, inaccurate data can lead to financial losses due to defective products, ineffective marketing, and declining revenue. Ensuring data integrity is essential for ethical business practices and good governance.

AC 1.3 Explain the different types of data measurements used by people professionals.

People professionals use both qualitative and quantitative data to improve decision-making.

Qualitative data includes descriptive information gathered through employee feedback from surveys, interviews, and performance appraisals (CIPD, 2022). This type of data helps assess employee engagement, job satisfaction, and areas that need improvement. Performance appraisals can also identify employees eligible for rewards, promotions, or training and development opportunities.

Quantitative data, on the other hand, consists of measurable information expressed in numbers (CIPD, 2022). People professionals use it to track productivity, rank employees, and determine salary raises and promotions. Common examples include absenteeism rate, turnover rate, and promotion rate (John, 2023). For instance, turnover rate measures the number of employees leaving the organization within a specific period, while absenteeism rate tracks employee absences over time. Analyzing these metrics helps organizations implement strategies such as cross-training staff and offering incentives to enhance engagement, job satisfaction, and employee retention.

AC 1.6 Explain how the application of agreed policies and procedures informs decisions.

Policies are the principles, rules, and guidelines that an organization creates or adopts to achieve its long-term goals (Wcsap, n.d.). They define how the organization should operate, set standards of conduct, and outline legal responsibilities. For example, a diversity and inclusion policy can help promote workplace equality and prevent discrimination and harassment. It may also outline how the organization will achieve its diversity goals, such as hiring from diverse talent pools, supporting employee voices, providing diversity training, ensuring equal pay, and improving communication.

Procedures, on the other hand, are step-by-step instructions that guide how policies are implemented and how daily operations are managed (Business Queensland, 2022). For instance, a grievance and disciplinary procedure outlines how employees can raise complaints, how management will investigate issues, and how grievance hearings will be conducted. It also details how employees can appeal decisions if they are not satisfied with the outcome.

Organizational policies and procedures help ensure consistency, fairness, and transparency in decision-making and daily operations (NSW Industrial Relations, 2019). They create a structured and respectful work environment, boosting employee productivity, job satisfaction, and overall organizational success.

AC 2.1 Explain how people professionals create value for people, organisations and wider stakeholders.

People professionals add value to both employees and the organizations they work for by applying their skills, knowledge, and experience to support growth and success.

For employees, they create value by implementing learning and development programs such as mentorship, coaching, on-the-job training, and online courses (Fonseca, 2022). These programs enhance employees’ skills, improve their efficiency, and support career growth by preparing them for promotions.

For organizations, people professionals help reduce employee turnover, which can disrupt operations, lower product and service quality, and affect customer satisfaction. They address this by introducing reward programs, encouraging employee feedback, improving workplace conditions, and providing training and development opportunities (Fonseca, 2022).

Additionally, they create value for external stakeholders, such as customers, by gathering and acting on customer feedback to improve processes and enhance product and service quality. This leads to greater customer satisfaction and strengthens the organization’s reputation.

AC 2.2 Summarise the ways in which you can be customer-focused, and standards-driven in your own context.

As a people professional, staying customer-focused is essential. I prioritize customer needs by understanding their inquiries, reviews, and feedback when purchasing products and services. I ensure that their input is considered when developing products and services, helping to improve quality and better meet their expectations. Additionally, I use strategies like promotions and discounts to enhance customer satisfaction and build loyalty.

It is also important to be standards-driven in my role. I follow the CIPD Code of Professional Conduct (CIPD, 2022) to guide my actions. I strive to positively impact employees’ working lives, take responsibility for my decisions and their outcomes, and uphold key values such as respect, integrity, honesty, and professionalism.

Task 2

AC 1.4 Present the overall total leaving rate for the whole organisation as a percentage, for each year.

Employee Leaver Reasons and Percentages

The table below presents the reasons why employees leave the organization, along with the corresponding number of people and percentage of total leavers.

Average Length of Service by Team (Ascending Order)

AC 1.5 Having analysed your findings, comment on any issues that the data has revealed and propose potential solutions.

Recommendations

1. Training and Development Opportunities

Providing training and development programs is an effective way to improve employee skills, satisfaction, and retention (Hall, 2023). Aligning training with both organizational goals and employees’ career aspirations can help retain talent, particularly in the Lettings, Regeneration, and Supported Housing teams.

To ensure accessibility and flexibility, training should be delivered through methods such as coaching, mentorship, and eLearning. Employees who receive development opportunities feel valued, become more committed to their roles, and are more likely to stay with the organization for longer.

2. Promoting Work-Life Balance

Data shows that 67% of employees left due to resignation, with 11% citing ill health. This suggests potential issues with work-life balance, leading to burnout, stress, and health problems (Palaniapan, 2023).

To address this, the organization should introduce flexible working options, such as:

• Remote work – Allowing employees to work from home when necessary.
• Job sharing – Splitting responsibilities between two employees to reduce workload.
• Compressed workweeks – Enabling employees to work longer hours on fewer days.

These initiatives can help reduce absenteeism, improve job satisfaction, and increase retention by ensuring employees feel supported and valued.

References

Boatman, A. (2021) ‘What is evidence-based HR? Examples, benefits, and decision-making steps’, AIHR, 23 December. Available at: https://www.aihr.com/blog/evidence-based-hr/ (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

Business Queensland (2022) ‘HR policies and procedures’, Business Queensland, 30 November. Available at: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/employing/high-performing-workplaces/policies-procedures (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

Chi, C. (2018) ‘Rational decision making: The 7-step process for making logical decisions’, HubSpot Blog, 18 July. Available at: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/rational-decision-making (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

CIPD (2022) ‘People analytics | Factsheets | CIPD’. Available at: https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/analytics/factsheet#gref (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

CIPD (2022) ‘Code of professional conduct’. Available at: https://www.cipd.co.uk/about/what-we-do/professional-standards/code#gref (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

Fonseca, N. (2022) ‘11 characteristics of an employer of choice’, Great Place to Work, 14 September. Available at: https://www.greatplacetowork.ca/en/articles/11-characteristics-of-an-employer-of-choice (Accessed: 14 March 2023).

John, C. (2023) ‘How can HR departments use quantitative & qualitative data?’, Small Business – Chron.com. Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/can-hr-departments-use-quantitative-qualitative-data-39617.html (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

MajestEYE (2023) ‘Why is data important for your business?’, MajestEYE – to see and foresee. Available at: https://www.majesteye.com/why-is-data-important-for-your-business/ (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

NSW Industrial Relations (2019) ‘Workplace policies and procedures checklist’, NSW Industrial Relations, 17 September. Available at: https://www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au/employers/nsw-employer-best-practice/workplace-policies-and-procedures-checklist/ (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

Reddy, R. (2022) ‘The importance and benefits of ensuring data quality’, Acuvate, 7 February. Available at: https://acuvate.com/blog/the-importance-and-benefits-of-ensuring-data-quality/ (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

The Council on Quality and Leadership (2021) ‘12 reasons why data is important’, The Council on Quality and Leadership, 2 November. Available at: https://www.c-q-l.org/resources/guides/12-reasons-why-data-is-important/ (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

Wcsap (n.d.) ‘Policies, procedures, plans, and practices’, Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs. Available at: https://www.wcsap.org/advocacy/program-management/new-directors/policies-procedures-plans-practices (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

Young, J. (2022) ‘Evidence-based practice for effective decision-making’, CIPD. Available at: https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/analytics/evidence-based-practice-factsheet (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

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• Task Two –Example of Analysis of Data to Inform Practice
• 3CO02 Principles of Analytics