5CO02 Assignment Answers 2025

AC 1.1 Evaluate the concept of evidence-based practice including how it can be applied to decision-making in people practice.

EBP uses proven research methods to make decisions by examining trusted knowledge sources from multiple reliable sources. When making decisions, we use data from various reliable sources, including research findings, organizational information, stakeholder feedback and professional authority. When organizations put EBP into play, their people’s decisions become better informed and linked to their overall strategic plans (Mills et al. 2021). When people professionals prioritize actual evidence over individual opinions or personal experiences, they make more useful and repeatable decisions.

Key Elements of EBP

When implementing evidence-based practice (EBP), we base our decisions on proven facts from many different sources. To make precise choices, the Best available evidence depends on real data from trusted publications and businesses that professionals use to support their decisions (Contreras et al. 2021). HR professionals use their expert background to turn analyzed data into effective solutions that meet business needs. Incorporating stakeholder views helps HR teams listen to all participants, including staff members and senior leadership, to ensure people’s practices suit their desires.

Applications of EBP in People Practices

1. Recruitment and Selection

Employing scientific assessment methods helps companies make impartial hiring choices. Structural interviews have demonstrated higher accuracy at predicting job results than informal interviews in work by Mills et al. (2021). Data about employee departures and interview results help us build better hiring methods.

2. Performance Management

Through EBP, HR professionals examine employee performance patterns to locate needed improvements, as per Hoffmann et al. 2023. HR professionals use performance data from Key Performance Indicators, employee feedback, and industry standards to create assessment systems that ensure everyone follows the same path to achieving company goals.

3. Learning and Development (L&D)

Organizations use employee performance data from assessments and training feedback to design training programs that match labor requirements (Contreras et al. 2021). Our feedback data shows that employees want more specialized training programs instead of basic workshops.

4. Workforce Planning

Situation reports from staff turnover reviews, business market trends, and company projections show where workforce expertise matches or falls short permit plan updates for hiring and training (Law & MacDermid 2024). Our evidence helps leaders plan for both career development and talent management programs.

Benefits of EBP in Decision-Making

When leaders make decisions using evidence-based practice, they experience clear advantages. When you test your beliefs through EBP methods, you can find the core problems while eliminating misguided ideas that result in mistake-driven decisions. Every decision built on research data becomes more straightforward to understand and easier to validate through stakeholder faith (Mills et al. 2021). Evidence-based practice helps teams create uniform procedures based on evidence, preventing wide differences and creating equal treatment. Organizations benefit greatly when they use EBP to make difficult choices. For example, if an organization observes a consistent rise in absenteeism, an evidence-based approach might involve analyzing data to identify patterns, such as high absenteeism in specific departments (Contreras et al. 2021). This evidence can then inform targeted interventions, like improving management practices or revising work schedules.

AC 1.2 Evaluate a range of analysis tools and methods including how they can be applied to diagnose organisational issues, challenges and opportunities.

Organizations need multiple data analysis methods to spot problems and discover valuable chances. The systems help organizations collect data methodically and turn it into evidence for smarter business decisions and better performance (Hoffmann et al. 2023). Organizations depend on SWOT Analysis and RCA to examine how their operations work.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT is a strategic method to analyze an organization’s inner resources and outer business factors (Law & MacDermid 2024). SWOT analysis helps organizations view their performance from all directions by organizing internal and external data into four categories.

Application in Organizations

SWOT analysis helps organizations make better workforce planning choices through strategic decisions. When an HR team uses SWOT analysis, they examine their internal skill gaps (weaknesses) and find external solutions in new technology and automation (opportunities). An organization can estimate emerging competition threats and labor law alterations to take steps that lower its exposure to risks through SWOT framework adoption (Rajendran & Fennewald 2021). Companies depend on SWOT to find clear action steps while managing their resources to reach business targets.

Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

Root Cause Analysis helps businesses recognize what truly creates their problems. Organizations use valid investigative tools, including the “5 Whys” and Fishbone Diagrams, to locate the initial source of their difficulties (Dopp et al. 2021). RCA creates long-term solutions by finding accurate problem sources instead of just curing surface issues.

Application in Organizations

RCA is an effective strategy for determining what makes issues with high employee absence keep recurring. Through “5 Whys”, HR experts uncover that lousy management practices drive employee absences because support systems fail and task demands push too hard (Rajendran & Fennewald 2021). When organizations find the real reasons behind problems, they can use those results to create effective solutions, including teaching managers new skills and giving staff members their work back. By using these methods, organizations can identify safety issues and decrease employee engagement to stop them from happening again.

Value of These Approaches

SWOT analysis and RCA provide business leaders the tools to act before problems occur. SWOT examines internal company features and external market conditions to build better strategies (Hoffmann et al., 2023), while RCA studies permanent problem sources to fix them for good. These tools show organizations how to solve problems and make better decisions about their resources to develop new growth prospects. With both techniques, organizations can create stronger systems to anticipate risks and stay resilient to changing conditions.

AC 1.3 Explain the principles of critical thinking including how you apply these to your own and others’ ideas.

When making fair, logical choices, you must examine data thoroughly to judge information and connect it with new ideas. Critical thinking helps us solve difficult problems and make good decisions, according to Rajendran and Fennewald (2021). From basic principles like clear thinking supported by evidence and fair choices, you can test accepted beliefs and come to smart conclusions.

Critical Thinking Components

1. Clarity

To think critically, you must properly define your thoughts and arguments so everyone can understand them. Muddled conversations obstruct decision-making, according to Law & MacDermid (2024). When reviewing an organizational policy, you must explain exactly what it means to achieve and measure it so that everyone understands why it was made.

2. Evidence

To think critically about something, you must support your thoughts with evidence from reliable sources. Research professionals use valid evidence from respected peer-reviewed articles, industry reports, or internal performance statistics, as proven by Dopp et al. 2021. Decisions become more objective and reliable because evidence replaces personal feelings and instances.

3. Fairness

You need to look at information from many angles and examine all facts unbiasedly for fairness. You must accept different viewpoints, especially those opposing your own, to make choices that serve everyone equally (Leroy et al. 2022). The true goal of the diversity project requires getting views from many employee teams to achieve balance for all workers.

Application of Critical Thinking in People Practice

In people’s practice, critical thinking helps us analyze important work data plus evaluate organizational strategies. HR staff needs the numbers from employee exit reports and worker feedback to evaluate workforce trends. The complete evaluation leads us to understand better what causes problems. Your decision-making power depends on critical thinking to determine if other people’s suggestions make sense. A manager introduces an idea to make all work remote. Instead of simply accepting or denying a proposal, critical thinking means examining basic principles behind it (for example, studying collaboration questions), studying supporting documentation (measuring productivity or doing employee polls) and examining different industry views (adopting peer operations and business styles). These steps create decisions that match the organization’s essential requirements.

Fostering Objective and Rational Debate

When you use critical thinking to examine what others suggest, you must do it constructively. Critical thinking with new initiative feedback from colleagues’ spots missing goals and unsupported data, then suggests better options. The approach produces better outcomes and promotes regular performance updates (Dopp et al. 2021). Through this approach, practitioners solve complex problems well-informed and somewhat with innovative results.

AC 1.4 Explain a range of (2) decision-making processes.

Successful organizations depend on strong decision-making, especially in people practices, because these choices determine how employees work and perform. Research shows that organizations typically use two kinds of decision-making systems: Rational Decision-Making Model and Intuitive Decision-Making (Leroy et al. 2022). These strategies help different business needs, and their combination improves results because they work together with logic and freedom to adjust.

Rational Decision-Making Model

Organizations use this clear method to create decisions based on facts and logic. A step-by-step process helps organizations select decisions based on good information and clear direction from company priorities. The steps include:

1. Defining the Problem: To get the best results, we must specify the problem before taking action.
2. Gathering Information: To understand all aspects of the issue, HR professionals must collect numerical performance data and key opinions.
3. Identifying Alternatives: Develop different response plans to solve the problem successfully.
4. Evaluating Options: Our team analyzes the benefits and downsides of each solution through cost-benefit analysis techniques.
5. Implementing the Decision: Start working on the solution while watching its results develop.

Example

HR professionals use the model to create their diversity and inclusion strategy by examining workplace data to locate underrepresented groups and setting specific targets. By following this approach, the strategy will use proven data to achieve better outcomes.

Intuitive Decision-Making

When making decisions based on instinct and expertise, professionals focus more on personal ability than detailed examination. Using this method works best under emergency conditions when available data and time are restricted. As you gain experience, you develop intuition by noticing patterns and foreseeing what will happen.

Example

When work absences rise unexpectedly, HR leaders depend on their instincts to move teams around and reassign resources to preserve output (Leroy et al., 2022). The leader uses their knowledge of team interactions plus previous situation experience to make these decisions without a full data assessment.

Combining Rational and Intuitive Approaches

Although these two methods look different, they work together effectively. Successful decisions hinge on carrying out rational models alongside making fast, intuitive choices. HR leaders use rational analysis to create their recruitment plans during hiring interviews but employ instinctive judgment to recognize exceptional culture matches for final interviews (Thornhill-Miller et al. 2023). people professionals who understand and combine these approaches help organizations resolve their current situations through analytical thinking and quick adaptive decision-making. This system lets us make smart decisions from practical research while working with our organizations’ requirements.

AC 1.5  Assess how (2) different ethical perspectives can influence decision-making.

People who practice decision-making need ethical guidelines to protect employees and change workplace habits, as Chukwuneke and Ezenwugo point out in 2022 research. The ethical systems of utilitarianism and deontological ethics show how different viewpoints can create fair, transparent decisions that we can trust.

Utilitarianism

Under utilitarianism, you seek the best outcome that serves most people simultaneously. Decisions are assessed using results to produce the highest possible rewards and smallest possible damage (Chukwuneke & Ezenwugo 2022). The technique requires comparing how well each solution benefits the population before making a choice.

Application

Utilitarianism helps leaders select work functions that remain critical to organizational survival when facing redundancy cases. When a company faces financial problems, leaders assess workforce restructuring methods to save as many jobs as possible while keeping the business viable (Chukwuneke & Ezenwugo 2022). Utilitarian thinking helps us contain the damage, but some people remain unprotected, reflecting basic conflicts within ethical reasoning.

Influence on Decision-Making

The methods used in Utilitarianism help professionals at healthcare organizations evaluate how their decisions impact everyone (Chukwuneke & Ezenwugo 2022). Utilitarianism faces ethical challenges when minority needs must give way to what benefits the whole population needs moral judgment alongside practical benefits.

Deontological Ethics

Under deontological ethics, professionals follow moral rules and duties regardless of what happens next (Chukwuneke & Ezenwugo 2022). From this position, actions must mirror fundamental moral standards such as being truthful, promoting fairness, and respecting personal rights.

Application

Professional support for diversity and inclusion standards demonstrates the practice of deontological ethics. During recruitment, HR specialists follow ethical standards by enforcing equal opportunities despite external demands for special treatment of potential candidates (Chukwuneke & Ezenwugo 2022). Our actions should maintain moral quality regardless of what serves us best.

Influence on Decision-Making

Software developers and HR professionals make fair choices that follow ethical rules during decision-making. The organization develops trust and ethics by ensuring employees adhere to their duties with equal standards (Chukwuneke & Ezenwugo 2022). Despite this relatively stable way of thinking, it proves problematic in scenarios demanding adaptation and flexibility.

Balancing Ethical Perspectives

Utilitarianism and deontological ethics support each other when people use elements from both systems to make decisions. People professionals combine these two ways of thinking when making difficult decisions to do good while serving ethical values (Chukwuneke & Ezenwugo 2022). When leaders make decisions, they can use these tools to act quickly and protect ethical values.

AC 3.1 Appraise (2) different ways organisations measure financial and non-financial performance.

Organizations depend on performance measurements to analyze their progress and use resources while following their strategies. Companies mix money and non-money data points to understand their complete performance picture (Leroy et al. 2022). Organizations use two main ways to track performance results: return on investment to see financial results and employee engagement surveys for non-monetary performance.

Financial Performance: Return on Investment (ROI)

ROI has become a universal method to measure how profitable an undertaking is when relating its benefits to operational costs. A percent-based standard ROI shows us if our financial investments achieve worthwhile outcomes (Thornhill-Miller et al. 2023). Our team focuses on this metric because our spending goals depend on achieving expected project results.

Application

Organizations use ROI to show if their workplace training courses and hiring advertisements succeed. To measure the value of a leadership development program, organizations assess its expense against the observed team improvement, employee retention, and production growth (Zarzycka & Krasodomska 2022). ROI helps organizations understand if investing in new employees delivers good long-term returns at an acceptable hiring cost.

Benefits

Companies can quickly determine if budgeting creates enough value to support future business development plans. The framework helps leaders decide about their highest-value projects while keeping resources productive and accountable.

Limitations

ROI does not accurately show intangible benefits such as boosted reputation and employee contentment, so organizations must use performance indicators besides ROI to understand these aspects (Zarzycka & Krasodomska 2022).

Non-Financial Performance: Employee Engagement Surveys

Employee engagement surveys are a non-monetary way to measure organizational well-being and the morale of employees (Omran et al., 2021). Employee engagement surveys usually measure such factors as job satisfaction, company value alignment, psychological safety, and company employees’ purpose.

Application

Organizations regularly employ engagement surveys to track trends, especially following significant policy implementation or organizational transformation (McArthur et al., 2021). For instance, after introducing flexible work arrangements, these surveys can quantify whether employees believe their value and productivity have improved, thereby providing valuable feedback on the initiative’s effect on general morale and personnel retention.

Employee engagement surveys help to derive valuable insights to allow organizations to identify areas for improvement in workplace culture, communication, or leadership (Thornhill-Miller et al. 2023). High engagement is often connected to higher performance, lower absenteeism, and improved staff retention.

Drawbacks

Though important, engagement surveys are based on employees’ personal opinions, which can create bias or give a distorted picture in the case of low participation.

AC 3.2 Explain how to measure the impact and value of people practice using a variety of (2) methods.

Quantification of the role that human resource practices play and their value is necessary to establish their value addition to organizational achievement and strategic goals (Rajendran & Fennewald 2021). Organizations can measure both visible and invisible results of their human resource efforts by adopting many implementation approaches. Organizations often apply two major practices, which are HR Metrics Analysis and Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA).

HR Metrics Analysis and Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA)

HR Metrics Analysis

HR teams employ metrics analysis to measure how well their HR projects work and run efficiently (Thornhill-Miller et al., 2023). By tracking workforce numbers, HR teams gain data that shows them where issues appear and help them choose smart actions.

Key Metrics

HR teams focus on four main KPIs they track daily: employee satisfaction, workplace diversity levels, time to fill vacancies, and employee departure frequency (McArthur et al., 2021). When employees leave in significant numbers, HR needs to study employee satisfaction policies plus onboarding and retention procedures.

Application

HR Metrics analysis studies employee turnover changes resulting from performance improvement programs such as career development and mentoring through before-and-after program comparisons (Rajendran & Fennewald 2021). Our time-to-hire tests show where our recruitment flow hits roadblocks and show us which areas need better candidate selection and sourcing.

Benefits

By observing the facts about performance, HR leaders can compare their human resource activities to business standards and decide how to best use limited HR funds. Measurement systems show where performance needs to get better.

Limitations

Using only data metrics lacks insight since other techniques are required to measure vital non-data factors such as organizational culture and workforce happiness.

Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA)

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) compares the expense of human resource programs with the measurable benefits they yield, giving an economic view of their worth (Rajendran & Fennewald 2021). When evaluating the return on investment of human resource strategies, CBA works best. Cost-benefit analysis, or CBA, is also frequently used when enacting policies, especially when it comes to flexible working arrangements. An organization can counterbalance the initial cost of remote working technology with advantages like savings in workspace, increased productivity of employees, and reduced absenteeism. Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is used to support decision-makers in determining the financial feasibility of projects to facilitate prioritizing those projects with the most significant value potential (Omran et al., 2021). It also provides a strong framework for resource allocation, shedding light on the financial effects of alternative organizational practices.

Limitations

While cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is interested in economic benefits, it can overlook non-financial impacts, such as enhanced employee well-being or increased organizational reputation.

Using both HR Metrics Analysis and Cost-Benefit Analysis enables companies to study the role of human resource practices comprehensively (McArthur et al., 2021). The two tools provide a uniform framework for measuring quantitative and qualitative inputs, thus identifying the strategic importance of effective human resource management.

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

Sales Department (1^st Quarter and 2^nd Quarter)

Logistics Department (1^st Quarter and 2^nd Quarter)

Research and Development (1^st Quarter and 2^nd Quarter)

Bonus Costs

1^st quarter

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

There is NO requirement for references in this task. 

. Performance Judgements

Across all departments, 30% of employees were rated as “Outstanding,” while 40% met their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). However, 20% were rated as “Not Quite There Yet,” and 10% were “Underperforming.” The highest percentage of “Outstanding” ratings came from the Sales department, indicating a strong alignment with organizational targets.

2. Bonus Payments

Employees rated as “Outstanding” earned a total bonus payout of £50,000 across two quarters, representing a significant financial commitment to reward high performance. The bonuses highlight a need to monitor financial sustainability and ensure that the criteria for “Outstanding” performance remain rigorous.

Key Findings from Survey Data (Table 2)

1. Preparation and Confidence

40% of managers felt they lacked sufficient preparation time for performance reviews, impacting their ability to provide effective feedback. Confidence in conducting performance reviews was also low, with 45% of managers and employees either disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with feeling adequately supported.

2. Fairness in Reviews

Perceptions of fairness varied significantly between departments, with some employees expressing concerns about inconsistency in performance evaluation standards (Roni & Djajadikerta 2021).

Implications for Stakeholders

The data reveals clear strengths, such as high performance in some departments, but also areas for improvement, including better support for managers and a need for fairer evaluation processes. Addressing these gaps can enhance overall performance and satisfaction.

Analysis of feedback responses from employees

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

AC 2.3: Recommendations Based on Evaluation

Based on the analysis of performance and survey data, the following recommendations are proposed to enhance people practices while considering benefits, risks, and financial implications (Roni & Djajadikerta 2021):

Recommendation 1: Implement Manager Training Programs

Justification: The survey data highlights that 40% of managers feel unprepared for performance reviews, and 45% lack confidence in conducting them. Training programs focused on effective performance management techniques can enhance their skills, improving the quality and consistency of evaluations.

Benefits: Improved manager confidence leads to better employee engagement and performance. It also fosters trust in the evaluation process.

Risks: Time and cost investment in training may initially strain resources.

Financial Implications: A comprehensive training program for all managers might cost £10,000–£15,000 annually, but the return on investment is significant through increased productivity and retention.

Recommendation 2: Standardize Performance Evaluation Criteria

Justification: Concerns about fairness and inconsistency in reviews suggest a need for a standardized framework. This can include clear KPIs, definitions of “Outstanding,” and calibration meetings to ensure uniformity.

Benefits: Enhances transparency and fairness, reducing dissatisfaction and potential conflicts.

Risks: Resistance to change from managers accustomed to old ways.

Financial Implications: The formulation of standardized criteria requires little monetary investment but does need time and engagement by senior HR leaders.

Recommendation 3: Review Bonus Allocation Strategy

Justification: With £50,000 for bonuses, financial viability needs to be examined. Perhaps a tiered system would evenly distribute rewards while keeping costs in check.

Benefits: Identifies different layers of performance and continues to motivate the employees.

Risks: Potential discontentment among those employees who were on higher bonuses earlier.

Financial Implication: This can reduce overall costs by 10–15% on a tiered system.

These recommendations are targeted at critical performance and satisfaction issues and balanced the financial and operational risks to achieve long-term organizational success.

References

Chukwuneke, F.N. and Ezenwugo, A.C., 2022. Deontology vs. Utilitarianism: Understanding the Basis for the Moral Theories in Medicine. International Journal of Medicine and Health Development, 27(1), pp.19-23.

Contreras, B.P., Hoffmann, A.N. and Slocum, T.A., 2021. Ethical behavior analysis: Evidence-based practice as a framework for ethical decision making. Behavior analysis in practice, pp.1-16.

Dopp, A.R., Kerns, S.E., Panattoni, L., Ringel, J.S., Eisenberg, D., Powell, B.J., ... and Raghavan, R. 2021. Translating economic evaluations into financing strategies for implementing evidence-based practices. Implementation Science, 16, 1-12.

Hoffmann, T., Bennett, S., and Del Mar, C. 2023. Evidence-based practice across the health professions. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Law, M., and MacDermid, J.C. 2024. Introduction to evidence-based practice. In Evidence-based rehabilitation (pp. 1-14). Routledge.

Leroy, H. L., Anisman-Razin, M., Avolio, B. J., Bresman, H., Stuart Bunderson, J., Burris, E.R., ... and Vongswasdi, P. 2022. Walking our evidence-based talk: The case of leadership development in business schools. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 29(1), 5-32.

McArthur, C., Bai, Y., Hewston, P., Giangregorio, L., Straus, S., and Papaioannou, A. 2021. Barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based guidelines in long-term care: a qualitative evidence synthesis. Implementation Science, 16, 1-25.

Mills, D., Pudney, S., Pevcin, P., and Dvorak, J. 2021. Evidence-based public policy decision-making in smart cities: Does extant theory support achievement of city sustainability objectives?. Sustainability, 14(1), 3.

Omran, M., Khallaf, A., Gleason, K. and Tahat, Y., 2021. Non-financial performance measures disclosure, quality strategy, and organizational financial performance: a mediating model. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 32(5-6), pp.652-675.

Rajendran, S. and Fennewald, J., 2021. Improving service supply chain of internet services by analyzing online customer reviews. Supply Chain Management in Manufacturing and Service Systems: Advanced Analytics for Smarter Decisions, pp.147-163.

Roni, S.M. and Djajadikerta, H.G., 2021. Data analysis with SPSS for survey-based research. Singapore: Springer.

Thornhill-Miller, B., Camarda, A., Mercier, M., Burkhardt, J.M., Morisseau, T., Bourgeois-Bougrine, S., ... and Lubart, T. 2023. Creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration: assessment, certification, and promotion of 21st century skills for the future of work and education. Journal of Intelligence, 11(3), 54.

Tseng, P.E. and Wang, Y.H., 2021. Deontological or utilitarian? An eternal ethical dilemma in outbreak. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(16), p.8565.

Zarzycka, E. and Krasodomska, J., 2022. Non-financial key performance indicators: what determines the differences in the quality and quantity of the disclosures?. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 23(1), pp.139-162.