Evidence Based Practice at Unilever Case Study

Introduction: Tools for Unilever's Organizational Growth

Evidence practices emerge to improve decision making by evaluation, identification and application of the available evidence from numerous sources. The report's chosen organization is Unilever, this is a British multinational fast moving goods company. It is the world’s largest goods company. The report will shed light on the concept of evidence practices across the range of organizational issues. Evaluation of tool, method and the main principles. The report will delve into decision making processes and different ethical perspectives. The report will provide deeper insight into the organizational measures as financial and non- financial performance. Explanation of methods to measure impact on people practices.

Part One: Developing Critical Thinking, Decision-Making, and Performance Evaluation Skills for Effective Organizational Outcomes

Evidence-based Practice and Approaches (AC 1.1)

Evidence based practices is about availability of evidence from the numerous sources to utilise the decision. EVP includes incorporating the available best practices with the expertise and knowledge. Evidence based practices is idea which is based on scientific evidence,

• Evaluation of concept of evidence based practices: Evidence based practices aim to make an effective and better decisions by selecting trustworthy and reliable solution. It is important for bridging the gap amongst practice and research; it evaluates the best available sources from several sources. These practices are based on the conscientious, judicious and explicit utilization of available practices through numerous sources to boost the favourable outcomes. It is a paradigm which will not help in every problem. Evidence based practices can be improved by numerous factors which can be adopted by the organization.
• Evidence based practices application in HR at Unilever: Unilever can increase use of data to make decisions which put impacts on their bottom line. This can activated the change in approach of HR functions. The decisions of Unilever’s HR practices on evidence based supported by the numerous sources which confirms preferred business outcomes.

The outcomes are research findings, available internal data, real experience, expert judgement, values and concerns. The methods in Unilever change from HR management on quick fixes, biases, quick fixes and success stories from word of mouth (Hoffmann et al 2023). Unilever can improve its evidence based practices by regular feedbacks from employees, setting benchmark, making effective decisions. Unilever can use Evidence practices by trustworthy data; improve people practices and issues which can occur in the organization.

It is an obligation to include the evidence with high quality, data gathering, this approaches can enhance the decision making process of the Unilever. The organization is facing issues like high competition; it can be reduced by the strong decisions making through evidence based practices. In the organizational performance the evidence based practices need to do with the legal evidence and people practices. It helps in improving developing programs for employees and makes commitment for the sustainable practices. The HR evidence based practices helps in promoting organizational goals and improves the HR practices.

Evaluating One Appropriate Analysis Tool and One Appropriate Analysis Method

For recognising diagnose issues challenges and opportunities, there are numerous of tools and methods which can be beneficial for the organisations.

• Analysis tool: Porter’s five forces: The tool easily helps in recognise and diagnose challenges, issues and opportunities. This is recognizing as a powerful tool to help organization know the issues. By using threat of new entrants, it will help in find out new entrants in the marketplace. This can help in reducing the chances to maintain competition in the market. By bargaining power of buyers, it helps in know the power of customers about the pricing and new alternatives. This can help in identifying the needs of customers and can be fulfilled.

By utilisation of bargaining power of suppliers, it provides recognition in the supplier’s power on the organization. It showcases the opportunities and better control on the outcomes of the organization. By intensity of competitive rivalry, it aims to find out about the competitors in the organization and this is effective method to use for reducing the issues.

By application of Porter’s five forces, it aims to understand the challenges faced by the organization and focus on the opportunities. The tools identified the changes and improve the organizational advantages.

• Analysis method: Job analysis questionnaire: This is a combination of the job dimensions such as skills, duties, responsibilities, working conditions, tasks and qualification. This method help to understand the working condition of the workers and their needs, the method provides overall performance graph of the employees. Questionnaires have number of advantages for analysis the job method.

This makes easy to distribute and analysis the work responsibilities on each employee to understand the daily routine of the work (Frank et al 2020). The organization can know about the performance management, better job design and help in fair compensation system. This method help in reducing the issue related to employees and develop the understanding about the duties. Job analysis helps company to update crucial information and processes, for the example by the analysis salaries can be distributed according to the responsibilities.

It is known as important activity in the HRM, might accomplish in multi- functions and help in identifying the aspects which can shape the workers confidence, motivation and happiness in the job.

An on-going job analysis make sure the understanding about the position of the employee and get the fair reward, makes a change of decision and understand the role and responsibilities in organization. Job analysis offers necessity of specific task, educational needs, experience, skills, need to satisfy the job. The main aim is to give correct position to correct individual. The organization can identify the perfect individual for the post in the process of recruitment and selection.

With the help of job description, organization can have clear prospective about the employee, their needs, their demand; this can create a clear vision about the employee. The question in the questaniries can be modified according to the need of job, which can create a clear viewpoint about the job position. By doing analysisation through the model, it demonstrates the clear criteria and methods, the understanding about the employees. It can create a good environment in the organization; employees can answer the questions freely and choose their job position.

Explaining the Main Principles of Critical Thinking and Describing How These Might Apply to Own and Others’ Ideas to Assist Objective and Rational Debate

Critical thinking has been explained as knowledge and tests to recognise assumption and ambiguity to evaluate the reason interpret and make decisions to clear the position. The main principles of critical thinking are define the problems, ask questions and get the evidence, by avoiding the oversimplification, emotional reasoning. These principles help in improve the critical thinking. Critical thinking is an important skill which includes the rationally, clearly, objectivity and open mindedness. It allows an organization or a person to analyses the data and makes an appropriate objective on the judgement. This also helpful for employee to correctly solve a situation and come up with a logical solution. These can improve the skills of workers and as well as for managers.

The critical thinking needs some skills like analytical thinking, creative thinking, good communication and ability to solve the problems. The rational thinking is about the ability to think with a reason. This improves the ability to create logic, facts and conclusion from the evidences. Critical thinking is capacity to analyse objectively data and conclusion can be drawn rational. It includes gathered information on a topic and select which piece need to be put on to the main subject and which not, it is based on the rational reasoning. To assist rational debate firstly need to identify the problems before the critical skills to work on, need to find out the problem which is being solved.

By determination of data relevance it can be help in solve the problems on hands on solution. By identifying best solutions the critical thinking can be identified by the own and others idea (Luthans et al 2021). It can easily assist with the rational debate and objective, which can improve critical thinking. By analysing the best decision it can improve decision making and ability of communication by nurturing logistic reasoning, open mind set and analytical skills. It includes individual to reduce reasoning biases, evaluation of information with the effective, make choices which can be informed. The critical thinking can help a person to analyse the information and can easily make a judgement on objective based. By doing impartial evaluations the evidences related to the matter, which can result in realistic conclusion, this will help in making a decision.

Explaining three decision-making processes that can be applied to ensure that effective outcomes are achieved

The decision making process help in improving the work efficiency in the organization and decrease the issues related to the goals.

• Best fit ‘decision making processes: The best fit approach focuses on the significance of guaranteeing that strategies of HR are perfect for the conditions of the Unilever, by involving the process of operations, culture and external environment. Strategies of HR have the specific needs for the Unilever and employees of it (The Best Fit Approach, 2023). This process is more vital than approach of “Best practices”. There is not a single universal insight about the policies and practices of HRM. The “good practices” that perform well in the successful environment and find out the parts of innovation and development with the good effect by the organization.
• De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats: The six fit hats approach improves skills of communication and listening. It aims to help persons to be influential while offering the ides and even more compassionate while discussion and feel more confident by providing the solutions. HR can adopt this approach to create more productivity and improve the quality of decision making, which can help in achieve effective outcomes (Six Thinking Hats, 2023). The main benefit can be identifying in the team working and solving problems with collaboration, the approach empowers the different groups to work together for the one goal. The hats offer thinking parallel, that De Bono’s thinking hats are an alternative of thinking adversarial. This helps in Unilever to reduce conflicts and encouragement of co-operation.
• Action learning: Action learning aims to tackle problems by asking questions to know the exact nature of issue, identify the solution and proceeds actions. The approach involves the improvement in problem solving skills, offer an effective decision making procedure. These can be effective in achieving the outcomes and improve the decision making process within the Unilever (Nowak et al 2021). The process is important for the business to improve the teamwork, this process make sure about the outcomes to be met. The approach develop all levels for the organization, it provides chances to state openly about the challenges. Through the approach the Unilever got the talented and empowered workers.

Assessing Three Different Ethical Perspectives and Explain How Understanding of These Can Be Used To Inform and Influence Moral Decision Making

• Utilitarianism ethical perspective: The principle of utilitarianism provides less immediate and instant significances of the actions. This is a moral theory, holds the best decisions for employees and their happiness. It offers a clear and numerous ways to identify the right action for the origination to control decision making (Kuhn 2019). It is known as a ‘greatest happiness principle’ the theory can be adaptable in the organizational behaviour. The use of utilitarianism can be as advantage, the principles of utilitarianism guide for the process of decision making due to clear objective and right to action. The theory help the organization to understand about the moral decision making, by clearly know the facts within the Unilever. In the context of Unilever, it suggests a responsibility for the organisation, so it can act in the maximisation of happiness (UTILITARIANISM, 2023). So it provides a base for criticising the organizational behaviour, that can’t harm anyone.
• Deontology/Kantianism: This ethics is identifying as a deontology, the approach fit with the natural intuition, it doesn’t require costs and advantages of the condition. The approach possess the aptitude to understand the moral laws, it can be applied in any situation of the Unilever. It provides biasness in decision making via hold decisions for norms and principles. This reduces the insecurity and subjectivity because just need to follow the settled rules. The deontology/ Kantianism offers inform decision making through the Unilever’s condition (KANTIAN DEONTOLOGY, 2023). The one thing which can be clearly differentiates the approach from divine commands. For example, it preserves that man as rationally being, makes the laws morally.
• Communitarianism: It is a viewpoint which emphasise the connection among the community and individual. This is based on the certainty which a person can identify socially and personally, prepared by community relationship. This is based on individual’s social identity and with the development being located by the person. This ethics has a different point of leaving not with the individual but with the company. In this company can put itself in critical framework of decision making. For instance, ban on the cigarette smoking, this target mutual goods, create less pollution.

Appraising Two Different Ways Organisations Measure Financial and Non Financial Performance

The Unilever’s financial performance can be measured via computation of the ratios, which can show the clear version of the gross profit, ratios and operations. The changes can be found in the financial gearing of the Unilever. The main part of the Unilever’s financial performance by similar ratios which can be computed by the rivals companies. The organization’s main source of funds put impact on the directly to the capital market globally. The insurance of the programmes can be directed by the cross guarantee by the organization with the reports. By making use of the ratio of margins, it can be measured by the revenue and cost of sale. The primary focus point is to determine the operational efficacy of the Unilever. With the use of long and short term liabilities can be determined by the debt repayment. With the analysis of financial statement with the income of the profitability of the future and present (Haber 2020). By examine the income statement of income statement determine of the future profits. For instance the organisation Unilever measures the financial performance by the financial health, with the margin of profits.

The non-financial performance can be measured by the customer’s experience, training for employees, employee turnover, conversation rate, market share, retention for the customers. The Unilever can make use of the NPS to examine the experience and satisfaction of the customers. With the NFPIs (Non-financial performance indicators) can be measure for the achieving the goals and satisfaction of the customers, client engagement, responsibility of social. The organization focuses on environmental friendly practices and product rates so it is categorised as non-financial metrics. The main financial objectives of the Unilever are about the growth with environmental friendly practices, innovations, purpose of the investment.

Explaining People Practices Add Value In An Organisation and Identify Two Methods That Might Be Used to Measure the Impact of People Practices

The practices of people can guide in the smooth process within the Unilever, This can involve some factors such as new staff, training and development processes, laws and policies, guidelines. With the creating positive cultures this practices can be promote the mutual teamwork. By identifying the position which are vacant, can be recruit. This can make them more valuable and create a better likelihood.

• Return on investment: The organization can measure the values by the seeing financial returns and can easily make investment in the people practices. The measurement can be the total of the loss and gains with the people practices which linked with the cost and activity. This tool is needful for the department of the people practices, which can evaluate the value of the investment. With the terms of return monetary and non-monetary (Bos-Nehles and Veenendaal, 2019). ROI is calculated by the subtraction of the cost in the investment from the final value and dividing the new number of cost within the investment and can be multiple by the 100.
• Employee satisfaction: This method can be used for collecting the feedback from the employees; this can involve the traditional methods such as surveys with the innovative approaches. By use of surveys from the employees about the people practices, get the deeper insight into the effects of the people practices on the employees. These method canes describe the feeling of the employees at Unilever, The satisfaction of the employees is important to achieve the organization goals. This is the positive concept and significance in the organizations. This can involve the workers being treated, work performance, team of positive management. High satisfaction in the employees can increase the success of the organization because satisfy employees can work better than the unhappy employees.

By doing continues measurement within the Unilever it can make sure about the people practices with the success of the organization. This is help in observe the KPIs with the on-going improvement of the organization.

Part Two: Integrated Insights on Gender, Ethnicity, Disability, and Salary Distribution Across Organizational Departments

Table 1: Analysis of Workforce Demographics and Salary Distribution Across Departments

A: Gender Distribution of Survey Respondents

B: Workforce Distribution by Department: Ethnicity and Percentage of Respondents

C: Disability Status Distribution Across Organizational Departments

D: Salary Distribution by Gender Breakdown

E: Average Salary Breakdown by Department and Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

Interpreting The Data

By the evaluation of the data, it is evident that the total percentage of male from the whole population is 53% whereas females are 45%. This simply implies that total male domination is present and it impacts the working of the females to a great extent. Moreover on the basis of the ethnicity it was clearly evident that the majority of the people belong to property team on the basis of the ethnicity. Along with this there was different kind of teams being present within the organisation which included customer service, governance, finance, green space and many other different kind of team (Mehrad and Zangeneh, 2019). In addition to this on the basis of the disability majority of the people belong to the property team and this implies that most of the disable people are living within this team.

In addition to this on the basis of salary it was evaluated that the males are provided more salary as compared to the females (CIPD (2018) Executive pay 2018). The total salary provided by the company includes 8256940. In the end it was analysed from the data that the average salary provided to the Employees includes maximum to the directors of the company. This is particularly because of the reason that the director is the person who actually design and make the Strategies for effective working of the employees. Hence the average salary provider to them is more as compared to all the other employees.

Presenting Key Findings

With the evaluation of the data it is evident that the key finding includes the fact that females are paid less as compared to the male. This might be particularly because of the reason that it is thought that females are less competent as compared to males. This as a result of this overall working efficiency is impacted and it affects the working to a great extent.

Justified Recommendations

In the end it is recommended to the company that they must effectively provide equality within the pay. This is particularly necessary because when there will be equivalent pay to the male and female then it will motivate the employees to work efficiently (Makama and et.al, 2021). Hence, the company must have a balance between the payment systems. The company must pay according to the capability of the employee and this will assist in motivating all the employees effectively.

Table 2: Key Insights and Recommendations for Hybrid Work Models

Interpreting The Data

With the evaluation of the data it is clear that majority of the people enjoy working from home for some days within the whole week. This is particularly necessary because working at home assist them in managing the work life. Along with this majority of the people stated that hybrid working practices is very helpful in keeping a work life balance and maintaining the well being of the person. The reason underlying the fact is that when the person is using different hybrid working practice is then it will motivate them to work effectively and the objectives will be attained (Fox and et.al, 2019). Thus, as a result of this overall working efficiency will be improved and it will help the business in maintaining a good work life balances. Along with this it was evident that majority of the people stated that many times they find it difficult to keep work separate from the personal life while working at home. This is particularly because of the reason that in many of the situations the person is not able to manage your work from home effectively. This it can result in causing problems within the work from home and as a result of this work life balances impacted.

Presenting Key Findings

The above finding also stated that majority of the peoples strongly agreed that working from home does not affect the cross functional communication and collaboration with the team. This is particularly because of the reason that when they work from home then many different issues are faced and as a result of this the communication and collaboration with the team is definitely impacted. Moreover, working from home assist the people in meeting their targets and this is strongly agreed (Robinson, 2020). This is particularly because of the reason that when people work at home then they feel it as leisure and as a result of this they are unable to meet the target. Thus, as a result of this the overall working efficiency of the employees is declined and they are not in position to work efficiently. In addition to this people strongly disagreed that they cannot easily access resources from home. Hence, for this it is very necessary for the employees to go to the office or the workplace so that they can use the resources optimally and attain all the objectives.

Justified Recommendations

In the end it is recommended to the company that they must effectively provide the facility of work from home to the Employees. But they must list some rules and regulations that need to be optimally followed by the employees so that any discrepancy does not take place within the working pattern of the employees. Thus, as a result of this the whole work from home will be managed and no issues will be faced by the employees and not the company.

Conclusion

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By concluding the report it emphasises on the concept based evidence practices by supporting the decision making, with the evolution based a practice which aims to make good decision within the organization. With the application of evidence based practices in HR of Unilever, this approach can be supported by the number of sources. The report put deeper insight into the analysis tool of porter’s five forces; this provides the challenge, changes, issues and new opportunities. With the use of another method of job analysis by the questionnaires, this offers work responsibilities, duties and skills. The explanation of the main principles of the critical thinking by making the positive decisions. The skills includes the rationally, open mindedness and objectives.

The decisions making processes that can be get in use for effective outcomes, with the use of best fit process and De Bono’s thinking hats, by using this processes these can improve the decision making in the Unilever. The report delves into the ethical perspectives about the utilitarianism and Deontology/ Kantianism approaches. By appraising the financial and non-financial performances by the using gross profit, balance sheet, margins of profits. The report focus on the people practices by adding values within the organization, with the use of ROI and employees satisfaction.

References

Books and journals

• Bos-Nehles, A.C. and Veenendaal, A.A., 2019. Perceptions of HR practices and innovative work behavior: the moderating effect of an innovative climate. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(18), pp.2661-2683.
• Fox, L., Wiseman, T., Cahill, D., Beyer, K., Peat, N., Rammant, E. and Van Hemelrijck, M., 2019. Barriers and facilitators to physical activity in men with prostate cancer: a qualitative and quantitative systematic review. Psycho?Oncology, 28(12), pp.2270-2285.
• Frank, H.E., Becker?Haimes, E.M. and Kendall, P.C., 2020. Therapist training in evidence?based interventions for mental health: A systematic review of training approaches and outcomes. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 27(3), p.e12330.
• Haber, J., 2020. Critical thinking. MIT Press.
• Hoffmann, T., Bennett, S. and Del Mar, C., 2023. Evidence-based practice across the health professions. Elsevier Health Sciences.
• Kuhn, D., 2019. Critical thinking as discourse. Human Development, 62(3), pp.146-164.
• Luthans, F., Luthans, B.C. and Luthans, K.W., 2021. Organizational behavior: An evidence-based approach fourteenth edition. IAP.
• Makama, M., Awoke, M.A., Skouteris, H., Moran, L.J. and Lim, S., 2021. Barriers and facilitators to a healthy lifestyle in postpartum women: A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies in postpartum women and healthcare providers. Obesity Reviews, 22(4), p.e13167.
• Mehrad, A. and Zangeneh, M.H.T., 2019. Comparison between qualitative and quantitative research approaches: Social sciences. International Journal For Research In Educational Studies, Iran, 5(7), pp.1-7.
• Nowak, P.M., Wietecha-Pos?uszny, R. and Pawliszyn, J., 2021. White Analytical Chemistry: An approach to reconcile the principles of Green Analytical Chemistry and functionality. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 138, p.116223.
• Robinson, J.D., 2020. Revisiting preference organization in context: A qualitative and quantitative examination of responses to information seeking. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 53(2), pp.197-222.

Online

• KANTIAN DEONTOLOGY, 2023. Online. Available through <https://press.rebus.community/intro-to-phil-ethics/chapter/kantian-deontology/>
• Six Thinking Hats, 2023. Online. Available through <https://www.debonogroup.com/services/core-programs/six-thinking-hats/l>
• The Best Fit Approach, 2023. Online. Available through <https://abouthumanresourcemanagement.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-best-fit-approach.html>
• UTILITARIANISM, 2023. Online. Available through https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/utilitarianism#:~:text=Utilitarianism%20is%20an%20ethical%20theory%20that%20determines%20right%20from%20wrong,good%20for%20the%20greatest%20number.
• CIPD (2018) Executive pay 2018: review of FTSE 100 executive pay packages. Available at: www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/reward/executive-pay-ftse-100-2018 (Accessed 4 October 2021)