Some days stay with you. The HRPro Masterclass on Evidence-Based HR in Brussels was such a day. Fittingly it took place on International HR Day. Fifty HR professionals joined us. All part of a slowly but surely growing movement of curious minds exploring evidence-based HR. It was energizing to learn together. And to top it off, two of my personal heroes were there: pioneers Denise Rousseau and Eric Barends. This edition focused on one question: how do you actually make evidence-based HR work? This day was made possible thanks to HRPro, Beam®, CEBMa, KU Leuven, Otolith® Consulting and #ZigZagHR.
Where to start?
Denise Rousseau (US, Carnegie Mellon University, CEBMa) and Eric Barends (The Netherlands, CEBMa), two of the driving forces of the approach, laid out the essentials.
Step one: hit pause. Take a step back. What is the actual problem or challenge you’re trying to solve?
Then:
- Use multiple sources of evidence: scientific research, professional expertise, organizational data, and stakeholder perspectives.
- Involve stakeholders from the start, to ask better questions together and build shared ownership.
- Always consider at least two options, to avoid tunnel vision.
- And don’t forget to review outcomes: what did you expect, what did you get, and why was there a difference?
Going forward:
- Prime your thinking: read books and articles based on relevant science (not opinion). Try tools like consensus.app, an AI-powered research engine.
- Prime your social ties: connect with thoughtful peers who challenge your assumptions, look for expertise, not experience.
Jeroen Stouten (KU Leuven, CEBMa) reminded us: expertise is indeed not the same as experience. Twenty years on the job doesn’t automatically mean twenty years of relevant know-how.
Eric Barends added some insights on how to bring others along, step by step:
“It’s not evidence alone that convinces. People do. Stay pragmatic and constructive. Focus on improvement, not judgment.”
Critical thinking as a compass
David Ducheyne (President HRPro) opened the day with a call for critical thinking, echoing HRPro’s guideline to base decisions on the best available evidence. In a world full of hypes, fake news, and AI hallucinations, HR needs people who ask sharper questions.
“We tend to dance around the totem pole of ideas that sound simple, plausible and new.”
Vincent Van Malderen (Poolstok) added: HR service providers carry responsibility too. Reliable middlemen don’t just run with the next shiny idea. They apply evidence-based practice throughout. His reading tip: The Middleman Economy by Marina Krakovsky.
Bram Doolaege (StreetwiZe) showed how critical thinking fuels creativity. By not jumping on the first solution, you leave room for better ideas. Beware of the trap of single-option focus, he said, and demonstrated how evidence-based thinking helps avoid it.
Measure what matters
Applying an evidence-based mindset also means asking: are we measuring the right things?
Delia Mensitieri (Ghent University) explained why many DEI efforts fall short: they stop at statements and quotas.
“Effective DEI initiatives require robust measurement, beyond surface-level and survey metrics.” It’s not only about who’s at the table. It’s about who has meaningful voice, access, and real opportunities to grow.
Feedback and fairness in daily practice
Shana Mertens (Open Universiteit) shared how informal feedback drives learning, not just through formal systems, but in everyday conversations that go both ways. Reading tip: her new book, HRM Theory Meets Reality (co-authored with Eveline Schollaert). It bridges science and practice in HR, across both public and private organizations.
Mireille Coudron (Moore Belgium) brought it all together with two practical examples. Their use of game-based assessments makes selection fairer and more inclusive. And their performance approach centers on ongoing, future-focused feedback, both formal and informal, to help people grow.
Why this matters
Evidence-based HR is not a trend or a trick. It’s a way of working, a way of thinking, and a way of taking responsibility for the choices we make, every day. As Denise Rousseau put it, quoting Jonathan Foster:
“If someone says it’s raining and another says it’s dry, it’s not your job to quote them both. Your job is to look out the f***ing window and find out which is true.”
And the story continues
This hands-on day for practitioners in Brussels followed a more academic session in Leuven, hosted by Jeroen Stouten with support from UGent, VUB and The VIGOR Unit. Two days where research, practice and people met. Soon, we’ll launch peer learning groups that bring together academics and practitioners, to keep the conversations going and support each other as we go.
Want to learn more?
- Read the book Evidence-Based Management (Rousseau & Barends)
- Visit CEBMa or become a member
- Join HRPro and contribute to a stronger HR profession
Take a look at the photo gallery to relive some of the brightest moments.
Thanks to Jeroen Stouten, David Ducheyne, Joris Vandersteene, Lesley Arens, Anna Dzhabroyan, and Emily Vandensteen, and everybody that brought this day to life.
Written by Edward Vanhoutte – Lead Evidence-Based HR, HRPro | Fellow, CEBMa | Managing Partner, Beam®
