Human capital is possibly the most vital yet overlooked means of establishing competitive advantage for companies today. For generations, the field of human resources has been a discipline of faith embedded in a business/economic system dependent on hard evidence. Advances in research, technology, and techniques for measuring intangibles — along with a timely convergence of academic disciplines — may have produced a solution that allows human resources practitioners to stay true to their faith, yet gives them the means of producing business cases that appeal to the senses. Evidence-based human resources (EBHR) applies scientific standards of causality to demonstrate how intangible human capital can be observed and shown to add tangible business results.

There are three parts to this series:

Evidence-Based Human Resources: A Practitioner's Guide
Publication Date: June 2009
Authors: John M. Gibbons and Christopher Woock

This guide to Evidence-Based Human Resources provides practitioners with real live examples from early adopters of this innovative approach to human capital management. It lists key ingredients for creating a successful EBHR program and makes suggestions on how to avoid common pitfalls. The manual is supplemented with an EBHR lexicon designed to help existing and future practitioners remain focused on the method's guiding principles and provide them with the necessary terminology to communicate successfully across business lines.

Evidence-Based HR in Action: Case Studies
Publication Date: July 2008
Authors: John M. Gibbons and Christopher Woock

This report provides in-depth case studies from four organizations that employ evidence-based approaches to their human capital management. The first two studies offer illustrations of highly integrated efforts focused on tracing and evaluating linkages between human resources practices and organizational outcomes. The other two studies demonstrate how organizations can implement an evidence-based approach even if the method is not spread throughout all aspects of the organization.

Evidence-Based Human Resources: A Primer and Summary of Current Literature
Publication Date: December 2007
Authors: John M. Gibbons and Christopher Woock

This literature review documents the evolution of the field of human resources and advances in techniques and technologies for measuring human capital dynamics. It also offers an overview of current research in the social sciences, detailing progress made in understanding the impact of talent on business performance, and specific examples of applying evidence-based approaches to human capital management.