Reflection and Reflexivity in HR: Why They Matter and How to Use Them

In HR, we often talk about learning cultures, continuous improvement, and evidence‑based practice. Yet one of our most powerful tools is reflection and should not be treated as “because HR said so routine”. Add reflexivity into the mix, and it goes deeper. Together, they offer a deeper, more critical way of understanding our practice (1).

Reflection vs Reflexivity

Reflection is not just that look back and move on thing, we are talking about real-pause-and-process to improve future practice (2). It’s basically your built‑in HR rewind button: helping you figure out what actually went down, what you missed, and how you can level up next time. Reflection transforms “mere experience” into meaningful learning (3).

Reflexivity goes deeper. It makes you examine how your identity, biases, and emotions shape what you notice, how you act, and the relationships you build. It is self-awareness turned all the way up (4) (5).

Reflexivity asks:

• How do my assumptions or biases shape my decisions?

• How do power dynamics affect my interpretation?

•  How does my role as an HR practitioner affect how others respond?

Why Reflection and Reflexivity Matter in HR

HR professionals operate in complex, emotionally charged environments full of power dynamics, politics, ethical dilemmas and emotionally charged moments (6). Reflection helps make sense of these situations, while reflexivity reveals our own influence within them. In HR more broadly, reflective practice supports (7):

• Ethical decision‑making

• Improved communication and conflict resolution

• More inclusive and equitable people practices

• Better alignment between values and behaviour

• A learning‑oriented organisational culture

However, reflection becomes powerful when it shifts to critical reflexivity, challenging assumptions, biases, and organisational norms (8). 

Key Reflective Models and Their Use in Practice

Reflective models such as Kolb, Gibbs, Schön, and Rolfe each offer structured ways to analyse experiences, challenge assumptions, and generate actionable learning. Their practicality supports deeper reflection and helps learners develop stronger reflective capability for professional growth (9).

Gibbs’ model is particularly useful in HR because it supports structured debriefing after challenging conversations. However, critics argue that its linear format can be rigid, restricting deeper critical engagement and the examination of systemic issues (12).

3. Schön’s Reflection‑in‑Action and Reflection‑on‑Action

 Schön explains that we learn by reflecting both during and after action, building sharper judgement and more flexible practice in complex situations (13).

Strengths and Limitations of Reflective Models / Tools

The table below compares key reflection models, highlighting their strengths, limitations, and why each still matters in today’s HR world.

What This Means for HR Practice

When applied critically, reflective and reflexive practice becomes a game changer, transforming the way HR operates (15) and actively improving how we think, decide, and shape organisational outcomes.

Done well, these practices empower HR professionals to:

·       Recognise bias and challenge assumptions.

• Navigate ethical dilemmas with clarity.

• Understand power dynamics and organisational politics.

• Build more inclusive, values‑driven people practices.

• Strengthen professional identity and judgement.

Honesty: reflective practice has basically become my built‑in pause button. When HR feels like a nonstop rollercoaster, emails flying, people drama escalating, policies changing every-time. Reflection is the moment I slam the brakes, sit with my thoughts, and go, okay… what’s actually happening here? It’s like switching off autopilot and finally grabbing the controls again.

But then there’s reflexivity and that’s the plot twist. It makes me look at myself with uncomfortable honesty like how do my background, beliefs, experiences, and even my identity influence the way I show up. That’s where the real growth kicks in. 

Reflecting on My Career Journey and time at university (Using Rolfe et al.’s Model 2001)

Looking back, university didn’t just build my skills, it shaped the HR professional I’m becoming. Rolfe’s What? So What? Now What? model helped me break it all down and understand how each experience contributed to my development 

WHAT?

I started my Business and HRM degree curious about people and organisations, but I’m leaving with a clear sense of myself as an emerging HR practitioner. Several experiences shaped this transformation.

Professional Experience

·       One‑year placement with RMB, my first real step into HR practice

• Securing a part‑time role with Sheffield City Council, which allowed me to continue developing in a professional environment.

·       A short university placement focused on the gig economy, where I created resources to help students understand flexible work.

·       Working as an Inclusive Curriculum Consultant, where I collaborated with staff to make modules more inclusive and accessible. This involved arranging meetings, conducting interviews, gathering data, and producing accessible learning materials.

Academic and Skill‑Building Activities

Throughout my degree, I developed a wide range of employability skills through:

·       Problem‑solving assignments that strengthened analytical thinking.

• Group work, which helped me understand team dynamics and collaboration

• Presentations, which improved my confidence

• Designing and delivering a workshop

• Portfolio development

• Strategic planning tasks

• Assessment workshops, developing ability to evaluate performance and give feedback.

• Writing a professional blog

Digital and Professional Skills

I also developed key HR‑relevant skills, including:

• Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook

• Management and organisational skills

• Conflict‑resolution training

• Resilience from balancing part‑time work with full‑time study

• Stakeholder engagement, through consultancy and presentations

• Research skills

My placement was the moment HR finally clicked. Seeing HR in action, not just in lectures, and showed me the responsibility and impact the profession carries. Securing a part‑time role at SSC afterwards felt like the universe saying, “Yep, you’re on the right path.

The blog was surprisingly challenging. Moving from formal academic writing to accessible, engaging communication felt like learning a new language, but it showed me how adaptable I can be and reminded me why communication matters in HR.

SO WHAT?

Reflecting on these experiences shows how they align with the CIPD Profession Map (16), especially in the core behaviours of Ethical Practice, Working Inclusively, Valuing People, and Professional Courage and Influence.

The problem‑solving assignments helped me develop analytical thinking. They often required applying theories to real‑life scenarios, which aligns with Kolb’s experiential learning cycle, where learning becomes meaningful through active experimentation and reflection (17)

Group work was equally important. Working with different personalities taught me patience, adaptability, and inclusive communication which is central to the CIPD behaviour Working Inclusively. I learned how to negotiate roles, manage conflict, and value diverse perspectives.

Presentations pushed me to develop confidence in public speaking. They helped me practise Professional Courage and Influence, as I had to justify my ideas, answer questions, and communicate clearly under pressure.

Portfolio development encouraged ongoing reflection, which aligns with the CIPD’s emphasis on Continuous Professional Development. It helped me recognise my strengths, identify areas for improvement, and understand how my experiences were shaping my professional identity.

My placement and part‑time role connected theory to real practice. Learning from experienced colleagues reflected Vygotsky’s concept of the “more knowledgeable other” (18) helping me build confidence and competence.

The blog developed my communication skills in unexpected ways. Knowles theory of andragogy highlights that adults learn best through practical and relevant tasks (19). Adapting my writing style demonstrated Situational Decision‑Making, a key CIPD behaviour that emphasises adapting communication to different audiences (20).

These experiences collectively built the skills employers value: critical thinking, communication, teamwork, resilience, digital literacy, and reflective capability (21).

NOW WHAT?

These experiences have shaped how I see my future and what I want to bring into my HR career.

1. Build my HR network through events, LinkedIn engagement, and professional communities to strengthen employability.

2. Target early-career HR Roles that develop core technical skills such as

·       Employee Relations 

·       HR Advisory roles

·       Wellbeing and Engagement roles

·       Organisational Development

3.     Continuing to build on the skills developed at university and learning new skills through CPD and in line with CIPD professional map.

Further reading

• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) | CIPD 

• Anderson, J. (2020). Reflection. ELT Journal, 74(4), 480-483. 

• Alexander, P. A. (2017). Reflection and reflexivity in practice versus in theory: Challenges of conceptualization, complexity, and competence. Educational Psychologist, 52(4), 307-314. 

REFERENCES

1.       Bolton, G. E., & Delderfield, R. (2018). Reflective practice: Writing and professional development.

2.       CIPD (2017) Beyond Training Hours: Reflections on CPD. Beyond training hours: reflections on CPD | CIPD. 

3.       Rodgers, C. (2002). Defining reflection: Another look at John Dewey and reflective thinking. Teachers college record, 104(4), 842-866.

4.       Finlay, L. (2002). Negotiating the swamp: the opportunity and challenge of reflexivity in research practice. Qualitative research, 2(2), 209-230.

5.       COBURN, A., & GORMALLY, S. (2017). CRITICAL REFLEXIVITY. Counterpoints, 483(1), 111–126. https://www.jstor.org/stable/45177774.

6.       CIPD (2025). Ethical Practice and the Role of People Professionals. Ethical practice and the role of people professionals.

7.       Hartog, M., & Winstanley, D. (2002). Ethics and human resource management: Professional development and practice. Business & Professional Ethics Journal, 21(2), 3-9.

8.       Finlay, L., & Gough, B. (2008). Reflexivity: A practical guide for researchers in health and social sciences. John Wiley & Sons.

9.       El Miedany, Y. (2018). Reflective learning, reflective teaching. In Rheumatology Teaching: The Art and Science of Medical Education (pp. 199-233). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

10.   Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development.

11.   Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Oxford: Oxford Polytechnic.

12.   Middleton, R. (2017). Critical reflection: the struggle of a practice developer. International Practice Development Journal, 7(1).

13.   Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action.

14.   Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D. and Jasper, M. (2001). Critical Reflection in Nursing and the Helping Professions: A User’s Guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

15.   Griggs, V., Holden, R., Rae, J., & Lawless, A. (2015). Professional learning in human resource management: problematising the teaching of reflective practice. Studies in Continuing Education, 37(2), 202–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037x.2015.1028528.

16.   CIPD. (2023). CIPD Profession Map. 8303-Profession map-Overview-RGB-2025 (3).

17.   Kolb, D. A. (1984b). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.

18.   Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (Vol. 86). Harvard university press.

19.   Knowles, M. (1973). The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species. Gulf Publishing Company.

20.   CIPD (2025). Situational decision-making. The Profession Map / Core behaviours / Situational decision making | CIPD.

21.   Rakowska, A., & de Juana-Espinosa, S. (2021). Ready for the future? Employability skills and competencies in the twenty-first century: The view of international experts. Human Systems Management, 40(5), 669-684.