CIPD_5CO02_24_01 5CO02 Evidence-based practice Learner Assessment Brief June 2025 - Oakwood International

Learner Assessment Brief

Assessment ID / CIPD_5CO02_24_01

Level 5 Associate Diploma in

• People Management

• Organisational Learning and Development

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Centre number:	8		7			5
Centre name:	Oakwood International LTD
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Unit code:	5CO02
Unit title:	Evidenced-based practice
Assessment ID:	CIPD_5CO02_24_01
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Declared word count You MUST add a new word count for every submission. Please use red font for submission 2 and blue font for submission 3

5CO02 Evidence-based practice

This unit assessment addresses the significance of capturing robust quantitative and qualitative evidence to inform meaningful insight to influence critical thinking. It focuses on analysing evidence through an ethical lens to improve decision-making and how measuring the impact of people practice is essential in creating value.

CIPD's Insight

Technology and data use in HR functions (March 2023).

Is there an ideal ratio when it comes to the size of HR teams in organisations? There are plenty of variables to consider. These include HR’s role in the business, the extent to which ‘HR responsibilities’ are delegated elsewhere, the capability and capacity of those with said responsibilities, and of course, how technology and data are used to support HR functions.

In this article, we outline the findings from our survey of 1,174 UK-based HR bosses to shed light on HR’s operating model from a technology and data perspective. Respondents were from organisations with 50 or more employees worldwide – the size we’d expect technology like HR information systems (HRIS) to become crucial for keeping track of employee records.

https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/work/technology/workplace-people-management/technology-data-hr-functions

Evidence-based practice for effective decision-making (July 2023)

People professionals are faced with complex workplace decisions and need to understand ‘what works’ in order to influence organisational outcomes for the better. 

Evidence-based practice helps them make better, more effective decisions by choosing reliable, trustworthy solutions and being less reliant on outdated received wisdom, fads or superficial quick fixes. 

At the CIPD, we believe this is an important step for the people profession to take: our Profession Map describes a vision of a profession that is principles-led, evidence-based and outcomes-driven. Taking an evidence-based approach to decision-making can have a huge impact on the working lives of people in all sorts of organisations worldwide.

This factsheet outlines what evidence-based practice is and why it is so important, highlighting the four sources of evidence to draw on and combine to ensure the greatest chance of making effective decisions. It then looks to the steps we can take to move towards an evidence-based people profession. 

Evidence-based practice for effective decision-making | Factsheets | CIPD

People analytics (February 2024)

People analytics is about analysing data about people to solve business problems. You can find people data from HR systems, IT systems and other departments' systems. You can also find people data from external sources such as salary surveys. Insights from people data can be used to drive organisational change.

Preparation for the Tasks:

·         At the start of your assessment, you are encouraged to plan your work with your assessor and where appropriate agree milestones so that they can help you monitor your progress.

·         Refer to the indicative content in the unit to guide and support your evidence.

·         Pay attention to how your evidence is presented.

·         Ensure that the evidence generated for this assessment remains your own work.

You will also benefit from:

·         Completing and acting on formative feedback from your assessor.

·         Reflecting on your own experiences of learning opportunities and continuous professional development.

·         Reading the CIPD Insight, Fact Sheets and related online material on these topics as well as key research authors on the subject.

Scenario

Your manager has asked you to complete a briefing paper for her to give to a visiting team of people practice graduates who are particularly interested in how evidenced-based practice is used in the context of people practices. The content needs to give them critical insight into what evidence-based practice is and how it is relevant to people professionals. She has also asked you to include practical examples of the types of data analysis that people professionals use. 

Briefing paper – part one

For part one, you need to provide the graduates with knowledge and understanding of what evidence-based practice is and identify approaches that can be taken for effective critical thinking and decision-making that ensures integrity and value is upheld. 

You must ensure that you:

·     evaluate the concept of evidence-based practice including 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. (AC 1.1)

·       evaluate one appropriate analysis tool and one appropriate analysis method that might be applied by organisations to recognise and diagnose issues, challenges, and opportunities. (AC 1.2)

·       explain the main principles of critical thinking including how these might apply to your own and others’ ideas to assist objective and rational debate.  (AC 1.3)

·         explain two decision-making processes for achieving effective outcomes. (AC 1.4)

·         assess how two different ethical perspectives can be used to inform and influence moral decision-making. (AC 1.5)

·     appraise two different ways organisations measure financial and non-financial performance, providing one example of each. (AC 3.1)

·      explain how people practices add value in an organisation and identify two methods that might be used to measure the impact of people practices. (AC 3.2)

You should relate to academic concepts, theories and professional practice throughout your briefing paper to ensure that your work is critical and informed by using key academic texts, articles and relevant publications. All cited references used should be taken from credible sources and should be correctly acknowledged and presented in full in a bibliography at the end of your briefing paper.

Your evidence must consist of:

A briefing paper for new people practice graduates with two parts:

·         Part one – Knowledge and understanding (2900 words)

·         Part two – Quantitative and qualitative analysis review (1000 words)

Refer to CIPD word count policy.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: At Associate Level Referencing is mandatory – you must provide a reference where you have drawn from a secondary source; Harvard referencing is preferable. Please use the Reference box provided to record all your long references. Short references should be included within the narrative. We advise you read the guidance on how to set out your references on the Learner Hub.
• Upload the completed Learner Assessment brief, with both tasks completed, through the Assignments option in the Oakwood Learner Hub.

 

Briefing paper - part two (quantitative and qualitative analysis review)

In part two of your briefing paper, using the information in Table 1 and Table 2 below, you should provide examples of the types of data analysis that people practitioners use. (AC 2.1,

AC 2.2 and AC 2.3)

 

Table 1 – Performance data – (please double click on the icon to open the table)

 

 

Table one provides performance review judgements for employees from four departments completed across two quarters. Each individual employee’s performance outcome is indicated by one of the four criteria-based judgements below:

 

·         outstanding

·         meets set individual Key Performance Indicators

·         not quite there yet, and

·         underperforming. 

 

1.       Present each department’s performance review judgements as a percentage.

2.       Those gaining ‘outstanding’ are entitled to a four percent bonus payment each quarter. Calculate the bonus due to each of these employees for each quarter and then provide an overall total cost of bonus payments for the organisation.

 

Present your findings from Table 1 using a minimum of three appropriate diagrammatical forms and make justifiable recommendations based on your evaluations.

 

The survey data presented in Table 2 has been collected from managers and employees on their views of the organisation’s approach to monitoring performance. Review the data in Table 2 and identify any patterns, themes or trends that might be occurring and present recommendations based on your findings.

 

Table 2 – Performance review survey responses from line managers and employees

 

 

There is no requirement to include evidence of the use of references to wider reading for

AC 2.1 and AC 2.2.

Your evidence must consist of:

A briefing paper for new people practice graduates with two parts:

·         Part one – Knowledge and understanding (2900 words)

·         Part two – Quantitative and qualitative analysis review (1000 words)

Refer to CIPD word count policy.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: At Associate Level Referencing is mandatory – you must provide a reference where you have drawn from a secondary source; Harvard referencing is preferable. Please use the Reference box provided to record all your long references. Short references should be included within the narrative. We advise you read the guidance on how to set out your references on the Learner Hub.
• Upload the completed Learner Assessment brief, with both tasks completed, through the Assignments option in the Oakwood Learner Hub.