why is critical thinking important in human resources

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A Short Guide to Building Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills

• Matt Plummer

Critical thinking isn’t an innate skill. It can be learned.

Most employers lack an effective way to objectively assess critical thinking skills and most managers don’t know how to provide specific instruction to team members in need of becoming better thinkers. Instead, most managers employ a sink-or-swim approach, ultimately creating work-arounds to keep those who can’t figure out how to “swim” from making important decisions. But it doesn’t have to be this way. To demystify what critical thinking is and how it is developed, the author’s team turned to three research-backed models: The Halpern Critical Thinking Assessment, Pearson’s RED Critical Thinking Model, and Bloom’s Taxonomy. Using these models, they developed the Critical Thinking Roadmap, a framework that breaks critical thinking down into four measurable phases: the ability to execute, synthesize, recommend, and generate.

With critical thinking ranking among the most in-demand skills for job candidates , you would think that educational institutions would prepare candidates well to be exceptional thinkers, and employers would be adept at developing such skills in existing employees. Unfortunately, both are largely untrue.

• Matt Plummer (@mtplummer) is the founder of Zarvana, which offers online programs and coaching services to help working professionals become more productive by developing time-saving habits. Before starting Zarvana, Matt spent six years at Bain & Company spin-out, The Bridgespan Group, a strategy and management consulting firm for nonprofits, foundations, and philanthropists.  

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Why critical thinking is so important.

Updated: Oct 16, 2020

What Is Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.

Value of Critical Thinking

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How to Make Better-Informed HR Decisions: Applying Critical Evaluation

Written especially for HR professionals at small businesses and HR departments of one, Applying Critical Evaluation (Society for Human Resource Management, 2017) by Jennifer Currence, SHRM-SCP, draws from thought leaders' insights and real-life examples to provide ready-to-use recommendations that HR professionals can incorporate into nearly every aspect of the job. The book is the second title in the SHRM Competency Series, which will cover nine behavioral competencies that are critical to effective HR performance.

Currence, president of  OnCore Management Solutions  in Tampa Bay, Fla., and a professor of human resource management at the University of Tampa, is a presenter at the SHRM 2017 Annual Conference & Exposition June 18-21 in New Orleans on Top Five Priorities for an HR Department of One , How to Create a Dynamic Onboarding Experience and Developing Business Acumen as an HR Department of One . 

HR Magazine 's Book Blog recently spoke with her about how HR can make an impact by applying critical evaluation. 

What makes critical evaluation an indispensable tool for the day-to-day work of HR professionals?

Critical evaluation is about going deep instead of wide. In the first book in the SHRM Competency Series, Developing Business Acumen , we talked about how HR can effectively develop business goals, mission and values. HR must be able to create and recommend programs that align with those goals. Critical evaluation is the linchpin between understanding the business and offering consultative solutions for effective people programs.

Why is it important to start the critical evaluation process by assessing the big picture?

Sometimes when confronted with a situation, we try to solve it quickly based on past experience. Or we immediately address what we think is the causation. When we start midway into the process, we miss the opportunity to ask the right questions. That's what enables us to examine all the options.

How has learning about critical evaluation changed your approach to problem-solving and decision-making?

I realized I had an unconscious bias against the very term "critical evaluation." Critical evaluation means a lot of hard work, right? But what I learned was that I gained so much more confidence going through the process, and that's when some magic started to happen. I have learned that following the process is immensely rewarding.

How can HR best evaluate the quality of its decisions?

Decide on three optimal choices or plans of action and measure each of them against what works for your organization [and] what doesn't work, and critically evaluate whether or not there are any unconscious biases or assumptions that are playing a part in your decision.

Not every situation requires a formal critical evaluation process. What advice do you have for making everyday decisions?

Successful solutions invariably derive from an openness to possibilities. If we remain curious, we'll overcome our biases and gather key information and data to make sound decisions. But beware of over-analyzing. One trick I use to move myself from thinking to doing (or deciding) is to schedule a deadline for myself—and promise someone an answer at that time to help hold myself accountable.

What's one thing HR professionals can do today to apply critical evaluation in their decision-making?

Develop this habit: When confronted with an issue or problem, ask yourself "why" five times. Simple, but you'll be surprised how your responses will guide a realistic and manageable approach. Next step? Read Applying Critical Evaluation , naturally!

Matt Davis manages book publishing at SHRM.

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  Critical Thinking in HR 

Although we may not have been aware of it, critical thinking has always played an important role in business. Have you ever been in a meeting with senior management making a business case for a HR policy only to find your sound case was derailed? Someone in the room may relate it to something that didn’t work in the past, causing your valid arguments to be lost? If this sounds familiar, that person may have applied their critical thinking skills to the situation to your detriment. 

Opportunities to share ideas with senior management or outside stakeholders may not present themselves regularly. To make the most of them it is important people professionals can identify and employ critical thinking skills. 

It is also an area employers surveyed by the World Economic Forum identified as essential to the future of work across many industries. Critical thinking and analysis topped a list of ten skills  employers believed would be required in 2025. 

What are critical thinking skills?

Before we delve into why critical thinking matters for people professionals and how you can develop your critical thinking skills, it is important to define the term. Critical thinking is a process of conceptualising, analysing and evaluating information gathered from observation, experience or communication to guide belief or action. For people professionals there are three key areas relating to the skill:  

• Critiquing the ideas and arguments of others
• Constructing our own ideas and arguments
• Identifying when others are using critical thinking 

Critical thinking helps people professionals make decisions in a more reflective way. These decisions are less likely to be biased , crucial for HR leaders.

Why is critical thinking important in HR?

HR and People management involves solving a multitude of problems for your business. Critical thinking is important in people management because it helps us avoid making decisions based on:

• Incorrect assumptions
• Unreliable sources
• Unconscious biases 

Having strong critical thinking skills enables HR professionals at all levels to collect and process information in a structured way aiding the problem solving process. 

Critical thinking also helps people managers engage in strategic conversations with internal business partners from professions where critical thinking is a central part of their role like legal professionals, engineers or C Suite management. HR teams are often asked to facilitate meetings around complex or difficult strategic issues amongst other parts of the business. With critical thinking knowledge you are likely to be in a better position to do this but also to facilitate stakeholder thoughts in a more structured way.

How to develop critical thinking skills?

Fortunately, critical thinking skills are not inherent, it is something that can be learnt or improved upon. If you feel your skills need some improvement we have found 6 ways HR professionals can improve critical thinking skills :

1. Question your own thinking

It is natural for all human beings to develop a pattern of thinking that we use to navigate life and work. As a HR leader it is easy to believe something must be correct because it has ‘always been done that way’. Critical thinking helps us to break out of those patterns of passive thinking where little changes. Instead, it asks us to question how we think and look for problems that could be solved to make a situation or process better. 

2. Discern relevant data

The digital age means we are often overwhelmed by data. It is important that people managers remember that not all data is useful or relevant. As critical thinking skills improve it should become easier for you to divide information into what to ignore and what to pay attention to.

3. Explore new ideas

It can sometimes be intimidating or threatening when you are faced with new ideas, especially in such a regulated area. In order to grow as a professional, it is important to explore new ideas. Speak to colleagues or people in other departments for input on how things could be done. Take a professional development course in an area of interest or read up on new developments in the industry that your business might be able to employ.

4. Encourage alternative views

Often businesses get stuck in a cycle of short-term thinking. Getting things done to reach immediate goals at the expense of the bigger picture. Developing an organisational culture that is open to alternative views is an important part of facilitating critical thinking. Don’t just wait for colleagues to challenge the status quo, actively encourage it through:

• Informal conversations
• Brainstorms

When provided with the space to do so, you and your colleagues may come up with many alternative ideas that challenge existing processes and procedures across the organization.

5. Take time to decide

A quick decision is the enemy of critical thinking. If you regularly make decisions on the fly, take time to reflect on whether with the benefit of hindsight they were always the right one. As a people manager it is important to take time to think about important decisions. Particularly those that are going to impact the entire organisation.

If you love a proposal, take some time to think about potential negative implications. Try to look at it from a number of different viewpoints, put yourself in the shoes of someone of a different:

• Level in the organisation

How will your decision impact each of them? If it is a very significant change, it might be worth interviewing a spectrum of people for their opinion before you make a final decision. Take a similar approach to decisions you don’t like, just because you don’t like an idea does not mean it is not the right thing for the wider team or organization as a whole. 

6. Avoid assumptions

The old adage making an assumption makes an ass out of you and me is most certainly true when it comes to critical thinking. Before you unintentionally jump to a conclusion ask yourself:

a.            What are the facts?

b.            Is there a relationship between cause and effect?

c.            Is the language used to describe the issue is ambiguous or clear?

          These questions will help you avoid falling back on something you believe to be true without any proof. 

TedTalks to improve your critical thinking skills

Prefer to learn by watching or listening? The experts at TED have created some useful talks on the subject of critical thinking:

1.  5 tips to improve your critical thinking

Samantha Agoos takes us through a five step process we can apply to decision making in any area of life.  

2.  Encourage critical thinking with these 3 questions

Eric Wilberding shared the Socratic Method of critical thinking developed by Socrates one of the founding fathers of philosophical thought.  

3.  How can you change someone's mind

Hugo Mercier demonstrates how critical thinking skills can be used to change the minds of others. Particularly useful for people managers who have to influence others within the business. 

The most important thing to remember when it comes to using critical thinking effectively is there is no one right answer. You can use this skill to create a number of options, all of which may work well.  Although people management may be fraught with difficult decisions. International health insurance for your expat employees does not have to be one of them. We offer tailor made solutions for businesses of all sizes. Get in touch with us today to discover more. 

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Helen Lee Bouygues

Reboot Foundation

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Improving the workplace through critical thinking

A lot of the problems in business — and in human resources — can be traced back to a single root: bad thinking. Over the course of my career as a consultant, I’ve seen business leaders make abysmal decisions based on faulty reasoning, and I’ve seen HR managers fail to recognise their own innate biases when addressing employee complaints and hiring decisions.

Let me give you an example. I was once asked to help turn around a large, but faltering, lingerie company in Europe. It didn’t take too long for me to see what the problem was: the company’s strategy assumed that all their customers everywhere pretty much wanted the same products.

Company leaders hadn’t done their research and didn’t really understand how their customers’ preferences varied from country to country.

In the UK, for example, lacy bras in bright colours sold the best; Italians seemed to prefer beige bras without lace; and Americans opted for sports bras in much, much larger numbers.

Transformations and turnarounds:

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Without realising it, they were making business decisions on faulty assumptions and bad information. However, a new strategy based on market-dependent research quickly helped turn things around.

Using feedback to get outside of your own head

One huge advantage consultants have over internal employees is simply that they are outsiders. Consultants obviously won’t know the ins and outs of the business as well as internal managers, but because of that, they also haven’t developed the biases and assumptions that can constrain employee thinking. In short, employees are sometimes too close to the problem.

Now, there are a lot of exercises and routines you can employ to make sure you don’t have blinders on when you’re confronting new problems or challenges.

Perhaps the easiest way to do this is through feedback. Of course, feedback can be tricky. No one likes to be evaluated harshly, and without the proper mechanisms in place the value of feedback may be lost amid negative interpersonal dynamics.

One of the best things an organisation can do is to implement clear and explicit practices and guidelines for feedback between managers and employees.

Feedback should be cooperative rather than antagonistic. It should give both parties the opportunity to reflect on, explain, and refine their reasoning. And it should be explicit, preferably using both written and oral communication to find flaws in reasoning and tease out new solutions.

Making conflict productive

Conflict is inevitable in a workplace. It’s how conflict is managed that can determine whether an organisation thrives. The key to good decision-making in group settings is productive, rather than destructive, conflict.

The best decisions emerge from a process in which ideas have to do battle with one another and prove their worth in group discussions. Without some conflict, organisations fall prey to group-think , where everyone goes along with the consensus.

Again, process is crucial here. The best organisations have clear guidelines and structures in place to ensure decision-making proceeds productively.

Decision-making practices should also include mechanisms for avoiding groupthink, by, for example, soliciting opinions in writing before a discussion and by composing groups with a diverse range of backgrounds and opinions.

Finally, leaders must truly value dissenting opinions. Special consideration should be given to ideas that go against the grain. Even if they lose out in the end, dissenting opinions make the final decision stronger.

Dissenters will also be more likely to buy into a decision that goes against their views if they feel their voice has been genuinely heard.

Thinking through individual goals critically and creatively

A key component of workplace happiness is employees’ sense that they are working toward something , both in terms of overall organisational goals and in terms of personal and professional growth.

Regular reflection on individual goals is vital to sustaining a healthy workplace culture. It also encourages more thoughtful work and allows employees to see day-to-day tasks in a broader context, helping them avoid burnout and monotony .

HR professionals can implement regular systems that allow employees to intentionally formulate these types of goals and understand how their work can be integrated more fully into achieving those goals.

Organisations can also grant employees time to pursue passion projects, like Google has, to give workers the freedom to develop ideas and products beneficial to both themselves and the company.

Creative and critical thinking is integral to organisational success, but it is too often assumed that employees and organisations either have it or they don’t.

The truth is that good thinking can be fostered with intentional, structured systems in place for feedback, argument, and reflection.

Helen Lee Bouygues is founder of the Reboot Foundation

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Critical Thinking

Developing the right mindset and skills.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

We make hundreds of decisions every day and, whether we realize it or not, we're all critical thinkers.

We use critical thinking each time we weigh up our options, prioritize our responsibilities, or think about the likely effects of our actions. It's a crucial skill that helps us to cut out misinformation and make wise decisions. The trouble is, we're not always very good at it!

In this article, we'll explore the key skills that you need to develop your critical thinking skills, and how to adopt a critical thinking mindset, so that you can make well-informed decisions.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the discipline of rigorously and skillfully using information, experience, observation, and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions, and beliefs. You'll need to actively question every step of your thinking process to do it well.

Collecting, analyzing and evaluating information is an important skill in life, and a highly valued asset in the workplace. People who score highly in critical thinking assessments are also rated by their managers as having good problem-solving skills, creativity, strong decision-making skills, and good overall performance. [1]

Key Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinkers possess a set of key characteristics which help them to question information and their own thinking. Focus on the following areas to develop your critical thinking skills:

Being willing and able to explore alternative approaches and experimental ideas is crucial. Can you think through "what if" scenarios, create plausible options, and test out your theories? If not, you'll tend to write off ideas and options too soon, so you may miss the best answer to your situation.

To nurture your curiosity, stay up to date with facts and trends. You'll overlook important information if you allow yourself to become "blinkered," so always be open to new information.

But don't stop there! Look for opposing views or evidence to challenge your information, and seek clarification when things are unclear. This will help you to reassess your beliefs and make a well-informed decision later. Read our article, Opening Closed Minds , for more ways to stay receptive.

Logical Thinking

You must be skilled at reasoning and extending logic to come up with plausible options or outcomes.

It's also important to emphasize logic over emotion. Emotion can be motivating but it can also lead you to take hasty and unwise action, so control your emotions and be cautious in your judgments. Know when a conclusion is "fact" and when it is not. "Could-be-true" conclusions are based on assumptions and must be tested further. Read our article, Logical Fallacies , for help with this.

Use creative problem solving to balance cold logic. By thinking outside of the box you can identify new possible outcomes by using pieces of information that you already have.

Self-Awareness

Many of the decisions we make in life are subtly informed by our values and beliefs. These influences are called cognitive biases and it can be difficult to identify them in ourselves because they're often subconscious.

Practicing self-awareness will allow you to reflect on the beliefs you have and the choices you make. You'll then be better equipped to challenge your own thinking and make improved, unbiased decisions.

One particularly useful tool for critical thinking is the Ladder of Inference . It allows you to test and validate your thinking process, rather than jumping to poorly supported conclusions.

Developing a Critical Thinking Mindset

Combine the above skills with the right mindset so that you can make better decisions and adopt more effective courses of action. You can develop your critical thinking mindset by following this process:

Gather Information

First, collect data, opinions and facts on the issue that you need to solve. Draw on what you already know, and turn to new sources of information to help inform your understanding. Consider what gaps there are in your knowledge and seek to fill them. And look for information that challenges your assumptions and beliefs.

Be sure to verify the authority and authenticity of your sources. Not everything you read is true! Use this checklist to ensure that your information is valid:

• Are your information sources trustworthy ? (For example, well-respected authors, trusted colleagues or peers, recognized industry publications, websites, blogs, etc.)
• Is the information you have gathered up to date ?
• Has the information received any direct criticism ?
• Does the information have any errors or inaccuracies ?
• Is there any evidence to support or corroborate the information you have gathered?
• Is the information you have gathered subjective or biased in any way? (For example, is it based on opinion, rather than fact? Is any of the information you have gathered designed to promote a particular service or organization?)

If any information appears to be irrelevant or invalid, don't include it in your decision making. But don't omit information just because you disagree with it, or your final decision will be flawed and bias.

Now observe the information you have gathered, and interpret it. What are the key findings and main takeaways? What does the evidence point to? Start to build one or two possible arguments based on what you have found.

You'll need to look for the details within the mass of information, so use your powers of observation to identify any patterns or similarities. You can then analyze and extend these trends to make sensible predictions about the future.

To help you to sift through the multiple ideas and theories, it can be useful to group and order items according to their characteristics. From here, you can compare and contrast the different items. And once you've determined how similar or different things are from one another, Paired Comparison Analysis can help you to analyze them.

The final step involves challenging the information and rationalizing its arguments.

Apply the laws of reason (induction, deduction, analogy) to judge an argument and determine its merits. To do this, it's essential that you can determine the significance and validity of an argument to put it in the correct perspective. Take a look at our article, Rational Thinking , for more information about how to do this.

Once you have considered all of the arguments and options rationally, you can finally make an informed decision.

Afterward, take time to reflect on what you have learned and what you found challenging. Step back from the detail of your decision or problem, and look at the bigger picture. Record what you've learned from your observations and experience.

Critical thinking involves rigorously and skilfully using information, experience, observation, and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions and beliefs. It's a useful skill in the workplace and in life.

You'll need to be curious and creative to explore alternative possibilities, but rational to apply logic, and self-aware to identify when your beliefs could affect your decisions or actions.

You can demonstrate a high level of critical thinking by validating your information, analyzing its meaning, and finally evaluating the argument.

Critical Thinking Infographic

See Critical Thinking represented in our infographic: An Elementary Guide to Critical Thinking .

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Why Is Critical Thinking Important? A Survival Guide

Updated: December 7, 2023

Published: April 2, 2020

Why is critical thinking important? The decisions that you make affect your quality of life. And if you want to ensure that you live your best, most successful and happy life, you’re going to want to make conscious choices. That can be done with a simple thing known as critical thinking. Here’s how to improve your critical thinking skills and make decisions that you won’t regret.

What Is Critical Thinking?

You’ve surely heard of critical thinking, but you might not be entirely sure what it really means, and that’s because there are many definitions. For the most part, however, we think of critical thinking as the process of analyzing facts in order to form a judgment. Basically, it’s thinking about thinking.

How Has The Definition Evolved Over Time?

The first time critical thinking was documented is believed to be in the teachings of Socrates , recorded by Plato. But throughout history, the definition has changed.

Today it is best understood by philosophers and psychologists and it’s believed to be a highly complex concept. Some insightful modern-day critical thinking definitions include :

• “Reasonable, reflective thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe or do.”
• “Deciding what’s true and what you should do.”

The Importance Of Critical Thinking

Why is critical thinking important? Good question! Here are a few undeniable reasons why it’s crucial to have these skills.

1. Critical Thinking Is Universal

Critical thinking is a domain-general thinking skill. What does this mean? It means that no matter what path or profession you pursue, these skills will always be relevant and will always be beneficial to your success. They are not specific to any field.

2. Crucial For The Economy

Our future depends on technology, information, and innovation. Critical thinking is needed for our fast-growing economies, to solve problems as quickly and as effectively as possible.

3. Improves Language & Presentation Skills

In order to best express ourselves, we need to know how to think clearly and systematically — meaning practice critical thinking! Critical thinking also means knowing how to break down texts, and in turn, improve our ability to comprehend.

4. Promotes Creativity

By practicing critical thinking, we are allowing ourselves not only to solve problems but also to come up with new and creative ideas to do so. Critical thinking allows us to analyze these ideas and adjust them accordingly.

5. Important For Self-Reflection

Without critical thinking, how can we really live a meaningful life? We need this skill to self-reflect and justify our ways of life and opinions. Critical thinking provides us with the tools to evaluate ourselves in the way that we need to.

6. The Basis Of Science & Democracy

In order to have a democracy and to prove scientific facts, we need critical thinking in the world. Theories must be backed up with knowledge. In order for a society to effectively function, its citizens need to establish opinions about what’s right and wrong (by using critical thinking!).

Benefits Of Critical Thinking

We know that critical thinking is good for society as a whole, but what are some benefits of critical thinking on an individual level? Why is critical thinking important for us?

1. Key For Career Success

Critical thinking is crucial for many career paths. Not just for scientists, but lawyers , doctors, reporters, engineers , accountants, and analysts (among many others) all have to use critical thinking in their positions. In fact, according to the World Economic Forum, critical thinking is one of the most desirable skills to have in the workforce, as it helps analyze information, think outside the box, solve problems with innovative solutions, and plan systematically.

2. Better Decision Making

There’s no doubt about it — critical thinkers make the best choices. Critical thinking helps us deal with everyday problems as they come our way, and very often this thought process is even done subconsciously. It helps us think independently and trust our gut feeling.

3. Can Make You Happier!

While this often goes unnoticed, being in touch with yourself and having a deep understanding of why you think the way you think can really make you happier. Critical thinking can help you better understand yourself, and in turn, help you avoid any kind of negative or limiting beliefs, and focus more on your strengths. Being able to share your thoughts can increase your quality of life.

4. Form Well-Informed Opinions

There is no shortage of information coming at us from all angles. And that’s exactly why we need to use our critical thinking skills and decide for ourselves what to believe. Critical thinking allows us to ensure that our opinions are based on the facts, and help us sort through all that extra noise.

5. Better Citizens

One of the most inspiring critical thinking quotes is by former US president Thomas Jefferson: “An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.” What Jefferson is stressing to us here is that critical thinkers make better citizens, as they are able to see the entire picture without getting sucked into biases and propaganda.

6. Improves Relationships

While you may be convinced that being a critical thinker is bound to cause you problems in relationships, this really couldn’t be less true! Being a critical thinker can allow you to better understand the perspective of others, and can help you become more open-minded towards different views.

7. Promotes Curiosity

Critical thinkers are constantly curious about all kinds of things in life, and tend to have a wide range of interests. Critical thinking means constantly asking questions and wanting to know more, about why, what, who, where, when, and everything else that can help them make sense of a situation or concept, never taking anything at face value.

8. Allows For Creativity

Critical thinkers are also highly creative thinkers, and see themselves as limitless when it comes to possibilities. They are constantly looking to take things further, which is crucial in the workforce.

9. Enhances Problem Solving Skills

Those with critical thinking skills tend to solve problems as part of their natural instinct. Critical thinkers are patient and committed to solving the problem, similar to Albert Einstein, one of the best critical thinking examples, who said “It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” Critical thinkers’ enhanced problem-solving skills makes them better at their jobs and better at solving the world’s biggest problems. Like Einstein, they have the potential to literally change the world.

10. An Activity For The Mind

Just like our muscles, in order for them to be strong, our mind also needs to be exercised and challenged. It’s safe to say that critical thinking is almost like an activity for the mind — and it needs to be practiced. Critical thinking encourages the development of many crucial skills such as logical thinking, decision making, and open-mindness.

11. Creates Independence

When we think critically, we think on our own as we trust ourselves more. Critical thinking is key to creating independence, and encouraging students to make their own decisions and form their own opinions.

12. Crucial Life Skill

Critical thinking is crucial not just for learning, but for life overall! Education isn’t just a way to prepare ourselves for life, but it’s pretty much life itself. Learning is a lifelong process that we go through each and every day.

How to Think Critically

Now that you know the benefits of thinking critically, how do you actually do it?

How To Improve Your Critical Thinking

• Define Your Question: When it comes to critical thinking, it’s important to always keep your goal in mind. Know what you’re trying to achieve, and then figure out how to best get there.
• Gather Reliable Information: Make sure that you’re using sources you can trust — biases aside. That’s how a real critical thinker operates!
• Ask The Right Questions: We all know the importance of questions, but be sure that you’re asking the right questions that are going to get you to your answer.
• Look Short & Long Term: When coming up with solutions, think about both the short- and long-term consequences. Both of them are significant in the equation.
• Explore All Sides: There is never just one simple answer, and nothing is black or white. Explore all options and think outside of the box before you come to any conclusions.

How Is Critical Thinking Developed At School?

Critical thinking is developed in nearly everything we do. However, much of this important skill is encouraged to be practiced at school, and rightfully so! Critical thinking goes beyond just thinking clearly — it’s also about thinking for yourself.

When a teacher asks a question in class, students are given the chance to answer for themselves and think critically about what they learned and what they believe to be accurate. When students work in groups and are forced to engage in discussion, this is also a great chance to expand their thinking and use their critical thinking skills.

How Does Critical Thinking Apply To Your Career?

Once you’ve finished school and entered the workforce, your critical thinking journey only expands and grows from here!

Impress Your Employer

Employers value employees who are critical thinkers, ask questions, offer creative ideas, and are always ready to offer innovation against the competition. No matter what your position or role in a company may be, critical thinking will always give you the power to stand out and make a difference.

Careers That Require Critical Thinking

Some of many examples of careers that require critical thinking include:

• Human resources specialist
• Marketing associate
• Business analyst

Truth be told however, it’s probably harder to come up with a professional field that doesn’t require any critical thinking!

Photo by  Oladimeji Ajegbile  from  Pexels

What is someone with critical thinking skills capable of doing.

Someone with critical thinking skills is able to think rationally and clearly about what they should or not believe. They are capable of engaging in their own thoughts, and doing some reflection in order to come to a well-informed conclusion.

A critical thinker understands the connections between ideas, and is able to construct arguments based on facts, as well as find mistakes in reasoning.

The Process Of Critical Thinking

The process of critical thinking is highly systematic.

What Are Your Goals?

Critical thinking starts by defining your goals, and knowing what you are ultimately trying to achieve.

Once you know what you are trying to conclude, you can foresee your solution to the problem and play it out in your head from all perspectives.

What Does The Future Of Critical Thinking Hold?

The future of critical thinking is the equivalent of the future of jobs. In 2020, critical thinking was ranked as the 2nd top skill (following complex problem solving) by the World Economic Forum .

We are dealing with constant unprecedented changes, and what success is today, might not be considered success tomorrow — making critical thinking a key skill for the future workforce.

Why Is Critical Thinking So Important?

Why is critical thinking important? Critical thinking is more than just important! It’s one of the most crucial cognitive skills one can develop.

By practicing well-thought-out thinking, both your thoughts and decisions can make a positive change in your life, on both a professional and personal level. You can hugely improve your life by working on your critical thinking skills as often as you can.

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How to Improve Critical Thinking in the Workplace

Employers want critical thinkers — those with sound judgment who can evaluate and analyze issues, make decisions, and overcome obstacles. Hiring managers are looking for people who can think critically and resolve issues quickly and effectively.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers ( NACE ) lists critical thinking as one of the eight career readiness competencies that demonstrate a recent college graduate has been educated for success in the workplace. Career readiness is “key to ensuring successful entrance into the workforce,” NACE reports.

Employers have not been shy about the lack of critical thinking skills in the workforce.

According to a 2023 ZipRecruiter skills hiring report , for which more than 2,000 U.S. employers were surveyed, the top three skills employers say candidates are “most lacking in” are:

• Time management
• Professionalism
• Critical thinking

In addition, the global management consulting firm McKinsey and Company projects that the demand for skills such as critical thinking and decision-making will grow by 19% in the U.S. and by 14% in Europe through 2030.

Critical thinkers, where are you? Hone your critical thinking skills, and become an indispensable member of your team with these five steps.

1. Formulate Your Questions

First thing to do: Identify the problem and the questions you need to ask. When you ask smart questions from the beginning, you can get a clearer picture of the issues involved. Questions to ask during this stage include:

• What’s happening?
• Why is this happening?
• What is most concerning about X?
• What is holding people back from solving X?
• What is the desired outcome?

2. Gather Information

Now it’s time to perform research. Depending on the nature of your problem, you may need to interview people, gather data and statistics, get historical project information, etc.

Make sure to get diverse input, too. It’s natural to want to talk with like-minded people, but this does nothing to help you get diverse perspectives and potential solutions.

In the research phase, consider asking stakeholders:

• How would you solve the problem?
• What other ways have you tried so far?
• What do you need to happen for this problem to be solved?
• Is there anything we haven’t discussed that you need me to know?

Don’t be afraid to ask for clarity. If someone you’re interviewing says something you’re not familiar with, ask them to tell you more about it. How does it fit into the problem or solution?

Aim to ask open-ended yet short questions. “How can I better understand this issue?” and “What if we tried a new approach?” can help others frame and communicate their own hypotheses.

3. Question Your Assumptions

Critical thinking depends on objectivity. You just collected a slew of facts in step two; now it’s time to vet your information.

If it’s from an online source, make sure the site is reputable and trustworthy. What’s their motive in sharing this information? Is the information complete and current? Are they trying to get you to take action (for example, send money or vote for them)?

Look for evidence that the source itself received diverse input. Ask if someone’s voice is missing in the presentation of the facts.

Finally, as you move to step four to apply the information, keep this question in mind: “Am I making any assumptions about this information?” Decisions need facts, not assumptions, to support them.

4. Apply the Information to Identify the Best Solution

Ask yourself this at the start of this step: “Are there any viewpoints I missed?” If all stakeholders have had an equal voice, you’re good to proceed. At this stage, you will use reason and logic to synthesize your information and arrive at the best solution. Questions to consider include:

• Are there other factors I haven’t considered?
• Have I evaluated the information from every perspective?
• Are my conclusions supported by sufficient evidence?

After completing the due diligence outlined above, you are ready to form your own opinion about the problem and devise a solution — or, solutions. There may be more than one, so plan to present them all.

5. Communicate and Evaluate Your Solution

Now you will share your findings with the stakeholders, such as your manager, executives, coworkers, and anybody else who should be involved.

After you’ve implemented your solution, evaluate whether it was effective. Did it solve the initial problem? What lessons can you take from this experience? How will you improve your critical thinking for next time?

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The importance of critical thinking in the workplace

Critical thinking is one of the most sought-after skill sets in modern businesses. Actively encouraging critical thinking fosters a culture of adaptability, problem-solving, and continuous improvement that makes your business a great place to work while improving your bottom line.

But, anyone can list critical thinking skills on their resumes. So how do you find candidates who truly possess these abilities? 

We can help. Below, we teach you everything you need to know about critical thinking skills, ways to assess critical thinking in the workplace, and common pitfalls to avoid when attempting to hire critical thinkers. 

Table of contents

What are critical thinking skills, what you need to know about critical thinking in the workplace , when to hire critical thinkers, why it’s important to foster critical thinking practices in the workplace , how to find the best candidates with critical thinking skills, common mistakes when assessing critical thinking skills, find your next critical thinker with testgorilla.

Critical thinking skills are soft skills that enable employees to analyze, evaluate, and solve problems, and make decisions. These soft skills include:

Logical reasoning

Open-mindedness

Strategizing

Critical thinking isn’t about being critical for the sake of it. It’s about separating fact from fiction, identifying biases, and discovering connections between ideas.

For example, say you're in a team meeting discussing a new project proposal. A colleague presents an idea that seems groundbreaking at first glance. They say it will significantly cut costs, improve efficiency, and revolutionize your approach. 

Rather than immediately jumping on the bandwagon, the critical thinkers in the room would take a step back, asking questions like:

Has this been done before? If so, what happened?

What are the drawbacks to this approach?

Will this approach cost anything to implement?

What impact will this have on the overall project cost?

Asking these questions ensures that the chosen path is logical, effective, and well-thought-out.

Here are the top three things you should know about critical thinking in the workplace.

1. It’s one of the most sought-after workplace skills

72% of managers believe critical thinking is key to an organization’s success – but only half believe their employees actually show this skill. This highlights the importance of fostering a workplace culture that actively encourages and nurtures critical thinking skills. 

2. Critical thinkers make great managers

Many critical thinking skills – like problem-solving and communication – are textbook signs of a great manager. These skills enable managers to solve challenging problems, think outside the box, and confidently help their teams succeed in uncertain environments. 

3. Critical thinking keeps employees on their toes

Critical thinking fosters flexibility and adaptability in a changing business market. This enables workers to navigate uncertainties and evolving situations with agility. They can think on their feet, make decisions on the fly, and ultimately keep your business moving through uncertainty.

Critical thinking skills are universally valuable, making almost any time the right time to hire critical thinkers – regardless of the role or industry.  

To determine the best times to hire critical thinkers, consider doing the following: 

Regularly evaluate your strategic goals and challenges. Times of change, growth, or adaptation are typically when you need critical thinking the most. For example, during market expansion, product launches, or complex challenges, critical thinkers can provide invaluable insights and innovative solutions.

Read our guide on measuring critical thinking in the workplace . By measuring your current team’s critical thinking skills, you can determine if any important skills are missing from your company. Say your measurements reveal there’s a lack of creative decision-makers on your team. In that case, it might be a good time to look for candidates who demonstrate strong creativity and decision-making skills.

Critical thinking supports overall business success. Here’s why:

1. Encourages continuous learning 

Critical thinking encourages employees to actively challenge information, question their colleagues, and seek a deeper understanding of business activities. This encourages a culture of continuous learning. 

This culture fosters a dynamic and engaging workplace where intellectual curiosity thrives and your team actively seeks new ways of working. This leads to innovation, adaptability, and sustained success for your organization. In fact, Deloitte’s Leading in Learning report found that businesses that encourage continuous learning have 37% higher productivity and are 92% more likely to innovate than those that don’t. 

2. Encourages creative problem-solving

Critical thinking skills encourage employees to look at information in different ways and not accept data at face value. This automatically shifts their perspectives, encouraging out-of-the-box thinking and creative problem-solving. 

Businesses that value creative problem-solving can streamline business operations and reduce costs easily. 

For example, a creative problem solver at a retail business might implement a novel inventory management system using AI, significantly reducing waste and lowering storage costs. This forward-thinking approach not only optimizes resource use but also enhances the company's ability to respond rapidly to demand fluctuations.

3. Improves conflict resolution

Critical thinking encourages employees to respectfully challenge ideas – and it transforms every conflict into an opportunity for team growth and innovation. It can empower your team to address and resolve conflicts using strong reasoning, consideration of diverse perspectives, and collaboration.

For instance, when a team faces a disagreement on project direction, critical thinking enables them to evaluate all options objectively, leading to a consensus that aligns with the team's overall goals and values.

4. Supports ethical decision-making

Encouraging critical thinking forces decision-makers to defend their ideas, consider alternative perspectives, and address their biases. Inviting other colleagues to critique their ideas will highlight any moral gray areas and identify potential biases that may influence one's judgment. This encourages self-awareness and ensures decisions are objective and ethical.

For example, in a team meeting where a new marketing strategy is proposed, inviting critiques and alternative viewpoints can reveal overlooked ethical considerations or unconscious biases, leading to a more ethical final decision.

You can’t find candidates with critical thinking skills by scanning resumes. Instead, use these methods.

1. Use skills testing

Skills assessments are the best way to find candidates with demonstrable critical thinking skills. These tools reduce time-to-hire, remove bias from your recruitment process, and ensure that you're building a team with the proven ability to think critically in real-world scenarios.

For example, TestGorilla’s Critical Thinking skills test measures deductive reasoning, cause-and-effect thinking, and the ability to interpret sequences. 

2. Ask behavioral interview questions

After finding critically thinking candidates using skills assessments, you can use behavioral interview questions to validate candidates’ results and gain a broader understanding of their abilities.

Behavioral interview questions focus on uncovering a candidate's abilities, attitudes, and reactions in past scenarios. Ask a candidate to recall a time they exhibited a certain behavior or provide an example of a time they applied critical thinking skills in a challenging situation. 

Critical thinking interview questions might include:

Give me an example of a time you received unclear data as part of a project. What steps did you take to overcome this?

Describe a situation where you had to analyze complex information to develop a solution. How did you approach the problem, and what steps did you take to ensure your solution was effective?

Describe a situation where you had to adapt to an unexpected challenge. What was the challenge, and how did you adapt?

These require candidates to draw on their past experiences and provide concrete examples. They’re an effective way to understand how a candidate has used critical thinking.

3. Ask for evidence of continuous learning

Since critical thinkers actively pursue new understandings, they tend to be lifelong learners. So asking for evidence of continuous learning is a good way to spot critical thinkers. 

Try asking questions like:

I can see from your resume that you recently attended a course on managing conflict in the workplace. What did you learn in that course that you didn’t know before?

How do you keep updated with the latest developments in this industry? For example, is there a book or podcast you enjoy listening to?

Can you tell me about a challenging project where you needed to acquire new knowledge or skills? How did you go about this?

Answers to these questions can show that candidates actively participate in continuous learning while also demonstrating evidence of critical thinking. 

Here are some pitfalls to avoid when measuring candidates’ critical thinking skills. 

Relying on resumes

Candidates can lie on their resumes about their critical thinking abilities. Relying on resumes might lead you to hire someone who lacks the problem-solving abilities the role requires. 

Assuming technical skills equal critical thinking

Just because someone is good at their job doesn’t mean they’re a well-rounded critical thinker. For example, a skilled data scientist might be skilled at analyzing complex datasets, but they may be unable to see how this data fits into the bigger picture. Similarly, a great project manager might excel at hitting deadlines and managing budgets, but they may struggle with open-mindedness. 

Assuming someone’s technical abilities speak to their critical thinking abilities can lead you to hire someone lacking the critical thinking your company needs. 

Critical thinking involves a unique set of soft skills. These enable employees to gain a deeper understanding of workplace situations and challenges to make well-reasoned and logical decisions. 

Critical thinking skills are some of the most sought-after skills in modern businesses. However, finding candidates who genuinely possess these skills can be tricky. 

Using a combination of TestGorilla’s skills tests and behavioral interview questions, you can assess candidates’ critical thinking skills effectively and accurately. 

Want to learn more? Watch a live demo . Or, sign up for a free TestGorilla account today and gain access to our extensive test library . 

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Why critical thinking is crucial in HR

Imagine a conflict between two employees in a team. The conflict escalates, and begins to affect the overall productivity and morale of the team. The human resources manager now has to intervene and find a solution that resolves the disagreement and also restores harmony in the team.

In such a scenario, critical thinking becomes crucial for HR professionals. Instead of jumping to conclusions or relying solely on personal biases, they will have to approach the situation with a thoughtful and analytical mindset. Thinking critically, they will gather relevant information by speaking to both parties involved, as well as other team members who may have witnessed the conflict. They will analyse the situation without any prejudices and consider different perspectives.

Generally, critical thinking is important for everyone, but its significance in HR is crucial. After all, critical thinking is the skill of carefully examining and assessing arguments and beliefs using logic and a systematic approach. It requires questioning assumptions, exploring different viewpoints, scrutinising evidence and making thoughtful and reasoned conclusions.

This rational way of thinking helps HR personnel navigate complexities and ensures that they make informed choices that benefit both employees and the company.

“Humans are thinking animals. Therefore, while dealing with them at the workplace, HR managers should take an empathetic yet rational decision-making approach to ensure unbiasedness.” Rishav Dev, former CHRO, Noveltech Feeds  

Tackling diverse workplace situations

Underscoring the vital importance of critical thinking in HR, Sharad Verma, VP & CHRO, Iris Software, highlights various aspects of this primarily problem-solving exercise, including the ability to distinguish between facts and opinions, making logical conclusions based on data, finding the root cause of the problem and establishing cause-effect relationship. “These competencies equip HR professionals to tackle diverse workplace situations with clarity and insight,” asserts Verma.

Rishav Dev, former CHRO, Noveltech Feeds, opines, “Humans are thinking animals. Therefore, while dealing with them at the workplace, HR managers should take an empathetic yet rational decision-making approach to ensure unbiasedness.”

How to evaluate situations with critical thinking

“Steps in evaluating a situation include cultivating a calm and analytical mindset, collecting relevant data and evidence, seeking input from stakeholders, assessing solution effectiveness, conducting cause-effect analysis and formulating actionable plans for the future to help make sound decisions,” enunciates Verma.

Kamlesh Dangi, group head-HR, InCred, emphasises the compatibility of critical thinking and empathy. Dangi reveals how critical thinking enables HR professionals to overcome bias and make informed decisions.

He says, “By approaching employee cases objectively, relying on factual evidence rather than personal biases, HR practitioners can deliver fair and well-founded solutions.”

“By approaching employee cases objectively, relying on factual evidence rather than personal biases, HR practitioners can deliver fair and well-founded solutions.” Kamlesh Dangi, group head-HR, InCred

Synergy of critical thinking and empathy

By empathising with employee’s challenges and understanding their perspective, an HR professional can critically assess the situation to make a fair and informed decision. A decision that takes into account an individual’s well-being and growth opportunities within the organisation.

So, does critical thinking or analysis affect the empathic aspect of HR? In Dangi’s opinion, “Critical thinking and empathy can coexist, one can analyse a situation based on facts and figures and still be empathetic towards the people involved. Thus, this can foster a deep understanding of others’ perspectives.”

How organisations can promote critical thinking

By creating an environment of open communication, organisations can empower HR teams to approach challenges with a thoughtful and analytical mindset. This cultivates an HR department that is adept at making well-founded decisions and helps drive organisational growth.

Dangi suggests, “To foster critical thinking, organisations must raise awareness, provide role models and actively promote the use of assessment tools that empowers the HR to make fact-based decisions.”

  “Steps in evaluating a situation include cultivating a calm and analytical mindset, collecting relevant data and evidence, seeking input from stakeholders, assessing solution effectiveness, conducting cause-effect analysis and formulating actionable plans for the future to help make sound decisions.” Sharad Verma, VP & CHRO, Iris Software

Setting clear criteria for decision making

Establishing clear criteria for hiring and firing decisions in the organisation helps professionals make decisions based on precise data and information.

“Defining qualifications, experience and role suitability allows HR professionals to assess candidates objectively,” points out Dangi.

This approach ensures that decisions are based on pure evidence rather than subjective feelings, resulting in fair and informed choices that align with organisational requirements.

If HR practitioners or managers do not apply critical thinking and make decisions based on their biases or gut feelings, then it can affect the organisation’s credibility and level of integrity.

In this ever-evolving HR landscape, embracing critical thinking can help HR professionals navigate challenges with clarity, objectivity and empathy in a profound and inclusive manner, benefiting the organisation and the people who rely on their decisions.

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Five resources for improving your critical thinking skills

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For those in HR, critical thinking is an imperative skill to have. It’s considered to be one of the top five most desirable attributes for anyone in HR.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise: your job involves making important decisions concerning your employees, which can have a profound effect on their whole career and your business. Whether you’re hiring new talent, negotiating pay rises, or deciding how to deal with employee misconduct, your ability to make critical, measured decisions is vital.

But what is critical thinking? Linder Elder, a prominent scholar on the subject, describes it as “Self-guided, self-disciplined, thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. People who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonably, empathetically.” In short, it’s the ability to analyse something objectively to reach a logical conclusion. To think ‘uncritically’ is to be biased and irrational.

With that in mind, we’ve identified five useful resources that can help improve your critical thinking skills.

Critical thinking, does it matter? – TED talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZJThuYWUOM

Yet to be convinced about the merits of critical thinking? In this engaging TED talk, Bart Millar explores how and why people fall prey to bad ideas that have a detrimental impact on themselves or others. By using examples such as: the first ever pyramid scheme, cough medicine containing morphine, and the Jonestown Massacre of 1978, he convincingly argues the case for developing your critical thinking skills.

How to think, not what to think – TED talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dluwVks444

“Never trust a brain, especially your own….We like to think of ourselves as objective and clever, but we are all, to some extent, flawed ignorant and deluded….but happily we can do something about this, by learning critical thinking skills”. Ex-creative advertiser Jesse Richardson has spent his career manipulating people into buying things they don’t need, and therefore knows more than most about how critical thinking skills can help us become more self-aware and less susceptible.

5 tips to improving your critical thinking – TED video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dItUGF8GdTw

A structured approach to reviewing information can be enormously helpful, especially when you are faced with a multitude of choices. In this short video, Samantha Agoos talks through a 5-step process that can help you improve your chance of making the best possible choices.

Critical reasoning for beginners – University of Oxford podcast

https://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/series/critical-reasoning-beginners

Hosted by Marianne Talbot, Director of Studies and Philosophy at the University of Oxford, this six-part critical thinking podcast for beginners is a great way to start developing your decision-making skills. You will learn about arguments and how to identify them, how to evaluate them, and how not to mistake bad arguments for good.

Logical and Critical Thinking – Future Learn 

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/logical-and-critical-thinking

For anyone looking to take a deeper dive into critical thinking, this free online course hosted by the University of Auckland aims to help you learn how to: identify and avoid common thinking mistakes that lead to formation of bad beliefs; recognise, reconstruct and evaluate arguments; and use basic logical tools to analyse arguments. The course is perfect for anyone interested in developing their critical thinking and applying them to the work place.

Critical thinking isn’t just for HR. A World Economic Forum report has listed critical thinking as the second most important skill for the future world of work. Helping leaders – and employees – develop in this area can massively help businesses progress and develop.

Have we missed any useful resources? What’s worked for you? What are you doing to help others in your organisation develop this essential capability? Get in touch and let us know.

Chris Wells

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Critical Thinking in Human Resource Development

Industrial and Commercial Training

ISSN : 0019-7858

Article publication date: 1 August 2006

• Critical thinking
• Human resource development

Cattell, A. (2006), "Critical Thinking in Human Resource Development", Industrial and Commercial Training , Vol. 38 No. 5, pp. 265-266. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850610677733

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

This book is part of the Routledge Studies in Human Resource Development Series, which is intended to promote theoretical challenges and reflective practice within human resource development (HRD). The text is a compilation of articles and original chapters from 17 authors (including the editors) from the UK, Europe and the USA. Primarily the background of the authors is within academia and research, although many also have consultancy experience particularly in the areas of management and HRD. Each author is considered to be a leading edge, critical thinker within their area of subject expertise. The intended readership comprises academics and students of human resource management (HRM) and HRD, organisational development, and management studies, plus reflective and critical practitioners seeking new thinking and challenges to their current practice.

Within the text, HRD is placed in a broader socio‐political context while also being viewed as an emerging profession that is of growing importance in the workplace. Alternative perspectives for both the needs of individuals and the sustainable development of organizations in post‐industrial economies are suggested as outcomes for potential readers. The book represents an honest and often challenging critique of orthodox HRD research and practice and an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to question and reflect critically on both their own practice and on current thinking within the field.

The text is divided into two parts, one which considers debates of practice and the use of critical theory in studying HRD. Among topics covered are critical self reflection, ideas for critical practitioners and a critical review of researching HRD.

The editors state that the overarching theme of Part 1 considers the issues around reflective practice and critical reflection in HRD and learning.

Part 2 considers theoretical debates and the current and potential notions of “self” within organisational settings. This is undoubtedly the more deep and philosophical aspect of the book and presents the reader with a number of conceptual challenges. Readers of a more academic inclination are likely to find Part 2 an easier read than those who are not.

Overall the text is thought provoking, with some chapters being easier to read than others. To gain most benefit from the book the reader would be advised to take time in reading each chapter as an individual element, putting the book down and reflecting deeply on the content and implications of what is being suggested, before continuing to the next chapter.

This book is for serious students (including academics and practitioners) of HRD and its price bracket suggests the same. Its strength is that it is challenging, questioning and in some places controversial but always forward looking in terms of the implications for HRD, organisations and individuals. References are up to date and there is plenty of opportunity to identify further reading. Reading the text is potentially a very intense experience but a worthwhile one if you consider critical reflection in your chosen field of HRD to be an area for your own personal and professional development.

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Critical Thinking in Human Resource Development

The importance of managing employee development has gained increased attention in recent decades particularly following the writings of prominent researchers advocating that future competitiveness advantage can be tracked to the development of the creative human capital of the organization (Pfeffer, 1994; Hamel and Prahalad, 1996).

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Critical thinking is one of the most significant skills and abilities, which have direct impact on individual success and society’s welfare. Especially loud is the voice of employers drawing attention to the need for critical thinking skills in the labour market and in a rapidly changing world in general. The World Economic Forum (2018) indicated the ten most wanted and needed skills in the labour market of 2020: critical thinking was placed at number two, following problem solving at number one. The American Management Association (AMA) Critical Skills Survey (2010, 2012) revealed that, according to employers, employees need to think critically, solve problems, innovate, collaborate, and communicate more effectively – they must excel at the “four Cs”: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. The goal of this article is to find out what and how employers with different managerial experience see critically thinking employees in today’s labour market. The research is based on phenomenography methodology and is the first such type of research about critical thinking in Lithuania. The phenomenography study revealed three hierarchically interconnected categories: A- decision to act here and now; B- verified and assured decision to act. C- innovative decisions for operational improvement. Empirical data allows identifying critical thinking related expectations of employers who anticipate that their employees could deal with emerging situations and are able to reason chosen decisions. Employers state that the critically thinking employee could give innovative suggestions; research participants describe critical thinking as higher order reasoning which gives added value to an organisation. Such understanding reflects the definition of critical thinking as a cognitive endeavour, directed to functionality in making decisions and solving particular problems. Employees’ critical thinking manifests at personal, interpersonal and societal levels.

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Why is critical thinking important?

What do lawyers, accountants, teachers, and doctors all have in common?

What is critical thinking?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines critical thinking as “The objective, systematic, and rational analysis and evaluation of factual evidence in order to form a judgment on a subject, issue, etc.” Critical thinking involves the use of logic and reasoning to evaluate available facts and/or evidence to come to a conclusion about a certain subject or topic. We use critical thinking every day, from decision-making to problem-solving, in addition to thinking critically in an academic context!

Why is critical thinking important for academic success?

You may be asking “why is critical thinking important for students?” Critical thinking appears in a diverse set of disciplines and impacts students’ learning every day, regardless of major.

Critical thinking skills are often associated with the value of studying the humanities. In majors such as English, students will be presented with a certain text—whether it’s a novel, short story, essay, or even film—and will have to use textual evidence to make an argument and then defend their argument about what they’ve read. However, the importance of critical thinking does not only apply to the humanities. In the social sciences, an economics major , for example, will use what they’ve learned to figure out solutions to issues as varied as land and other natural resource use, to how much people should work, to how to develop human capital through education. Problem-solving and critical thinking go hand in hand. Biology is a popular major within LAS, and graduates of the biology program often pursue careers in the medical sciences. Doctors use critical thinking every day, tapping into the knowledge they acquired from studying the biological sciences to diagnose and treat different diseases and ailments.

Students in the College of LAS take many courses that require critical thinking before they graduate. You may be asked in an Economics class to use statistical data analysis to evaluate the impact on home improvement spending when the Fed increases interest rates (read more about real-world experience with Datathon ). If you’ve ever been asked “How often do you think about the Roman Empire?”, you may find yourself thinking about the Roman Empire more than you thought—maybe in an English course, where you’ll use text from Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra to make an argument about Roman imperial desire.  No matter what the context is, critical thinking will be involved in your academic life and can take form in many different ways.

The benefits of critical thinking in everyday life

Building better communication.

One of the most important life skills that students learn as early as elementary school is how to give a presentation. Many classes require students to give presentations, because being well-spoken is a key skill in effective communication. This is where critical thinking benefits come into play: using the skills you’ve learned, you’ll be able to gather the information needed for your presentation, narrow down what information is most relevant, and communicate it in an engaging way. 

Typically, the first step in creating a presentation is choosing a topic. For example, your professor might assign a presentation on the Gilded Age and provide a list of figures from the 1870s—1890s to choose from. You’ll use your critical thinking skills to narrow down your choices. You may ask yourself:

• What figure am I most familiar with?
• Who am I most interested in? 
• Will I have to do additional research? 

After choosing your topic, your professor will usually ask a guiding question to help you form a thesis: an argument that is backed up with evidence. Critical thinking benefits this process by allowing you to focus on the information that is most relevant in support of your argument. By focusing on the strongest evidence, you will communicate your thesis clearly.

Finally, once you’ve finished gathering information, you will begin putting your presentation together. Creating a presentation requires a balance of text and visuals. Graphs and tables are popular visuals in STEM-based projects, but digital images and graphics are effective as well. Critical thinking benefits this process because the right images and visuals create a more dynamic experience for the audience, giving them the opportunity to engage with the material.

Presentation skills go beyond the classroom. Students at the University of Illinois will often participate in summer internships to get professional experience before graduation. Many summer interns are required to present about their experience and what they learned at the end of the internship. Jobs frequently also require employees to create presentations of some kind—whether it’s an advertising pitch to win an account from a potential client, or quarterly reporting, giving a presentation is a life skill that directly relates to critical thinking. 

Fostering independence and confidence

An important life skill many people start learning as college students and then finessing once they enter the “adult world” is how to budget. There will be many different expenses to keep track of, including rent, bills, car payments, and groceries, just to name a few! After developing your critical thinking skills, you’ll put them to use to consider your salary and budget your expenses accordingly. Here’s an example:

• You earn a salary of $75,000 a year. Assume all amounts are before taxes.
• 1,800 x 12 = 21,600
• 75,000 – 21,600 = 53,400
• This leaves you with $53,400
• 320 x 12 = 3,840 a year
• 53,400-3,840= 49,560
• 726 x 12 = 8,712
• 49,560 – 8,712= 40,848
• You’re left with $40,848 for miscellaneous expenses. You use your critical thinking skills to decide what to do with your $40,848. You think ahead towards your retirement and decide to put $500 a month into a Roth IRA, leaving $34,848. Since you love coffee, you try to figure out if you can afford a daily coffee run. On average, a cup of coffee will cost you $7. 7 x 365 = $2,555 a year for coffee. 34,848 – 2,555 = 32,293
• You have $32,293 left. You will use your critical thinking skills to figure out how much you would want to put into savings, how much you want to save to treat yourself from time to time, and how much you want to put aside for emergency funds. With the benefits of critical thinking, you will be well-equipped to budget your lifestyle once you enter the working world.

Enhancing decision-making skills

Choosing the right university for you.

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life is what college or university to go to. There are many factors to consider when making this decision, and critical thinking importance will come into play when determining these factors.

Many high school seniors apply to colleges with the hope of being accepted into a certain program, whether it’s biology, psychology, political science, English, or something else entirely. Some students apply with certain schools in mind due to overall rankings. Students also consider the campus a school is set in. While some universities such as the University of Illinois are nestled within college towns, New York University is right in Manhattan, in a big city setting. Some students dream of going to large universities, and other students prefer smaller schools. The diversity of a university’s student body is also a key consideration. For many 17- and 18-year-olds, college is a time to meet peers from diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds and learn about life experiences different than one’s own.

With all these factors in mind, you’ll use critical thinking to decide which are most important to you—and which school is the right fit for you.

Develop your critical thinking skills at the University of Illinois

At the University of Illinois, not only will you learn how to think critically, but you will put critical thinking into practice. In the College of LAS, you can choose from 70+ majors where you will learn the importance and benefits of critical thinking skills. The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at U of I offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in life, physical, and mathematical sciences; humanities; and social and behavioral sciences. No matter which program you choose, you will develop critical thinking skills as you go through your courses in the major of your choice. And in those courses, the first question your professors may ask you is, “What is the goal of critical thinking?” You will be able to respond with confidence that the goal of critical thinking is to help shape people into more informed, more thoughtful members of society.

With such a vast representation of disciplines, an education in the College of LAS will prepare you for a career where you will apply critical thinking skills to real life, both in and outside of the classroom, from your undergraduate experience to your professional career. If you’re interested in becoming a part of a diverse set of students and developing skills for lifelong success, apply to LAS today!

Read more first-hand stories from our amazing students at the LAS Insider blog .

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Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative

HELI supports experiential learning for Iowa Law students

Preparing students for future success.

Through the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, Iowa Law has the unique ability to support law students by providing summer stipends to assist students pursuing public interest or public service careers in environmental law.

Summer internships, a staple of the law school experience, offer students the opportunity to explore legal career options, obtain practical legal skills, and begin developing a network. Student recipients of the HELI summer funding use the funding to support unpaid summer positions after their first and second years of law school. What they learn through these practical legal experiences shape their career trajectories and expand their professional networks. 

During the 2023-2024 academic year, the HELI team worked closely with the Career Services team to identify students as well as internship opportunities in the Midwest, in an effort to match students with open opportunities. 

As a result of this coordinating effort, HELI is proud to support 12 Iowa Law students who are embarking on professional experiences this summer. 67% of the students receiving this support will be working at organizations within Iowa. 92% of the students receiving this support will be remaining in the Midwest, working in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.  

Students are working in positions at the following organizations: 

• Clean Wisconsin 
• Driftless Water Defenders 
• Environmental Enforcement Section of the Environment & Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice
• Environmental Law and Policy Center 
• Iowa Attorney General's Office Environmental Law Division 
• Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
• Iowa Environmental Council 
• Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy 

Meet the summer student interns

Below are profiles of each student selected for summer support by the HELI and Career Services teams. 

Noah Gaber, Class of 2026 Hometown : Dubuque, Iowa Summer position: The Driftless Water Defenders nonprofit in Iowa City, Iowa. I will be creating an Iowa specific environmental law handbook meant to aid attorneys and other professionals in their efforts related to protecting Iowa's environment. I will be assisting in starting a non-profit focused on assessing the water quality in the driftless region in Northeastern Iowa in an effort to protect Iowa's water and potentially aid in litigating Iowa's water safety.

How do you plan to use this position or experience to create change?  I have worked for environmental initiatives in the past but none of what I did will be as impactful as this Summer project will be. As cancer rates in Iowa rise, regulations are rolled back and more factory farms end up in the state, water quality is becoming a crisis. We're hoping to make real strides towards protecting water in Iowa by educating the public, providing resources for professionals and preparing for potential litigation in the future. Having been born and raised in Iowa, I am very excited to have the opportunity to work on this project and help protect the environment of my home.

Mackenzie Holmes, Class of 2026 Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa Summer position: I will be working for the Iowa Attorney General's Office on an agricultural reporting project.

How will this funding support make a difference in your education and professional goals? This summer funding will make a huge difference in my professional goals, specifically broadening my knowledge of law. I think it's important to get to experience the law from a governmental perspective to really understand how bills get made and what occurs after they pass. This isn't always sustainable for law students however due to monetary considerations, so the ability to have this grant will further my drive for more experience.

Mateen Karimi, Class of 2026  Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa Summer position: I will be working as a Summer Law Clerk at the Iowa Environmental Council in Des Moines, Iowa. 

Why is environmental or public interest work important to you?  Environmental work is important to me because we must meet our climate goals that have been set by national and international governments around the world. The clock is ticking. I also think environmental law is a fascinating, rapidly growing field that involves engagement with multiple disciplines, including business, science, and the legal profession. Tackling lofty goals of achieving net zero emissions is going to require an “all-hands-on-deck” approach, and one of the best ways to do that is to get involved at the local level. Environmental work is important to me because, well, it is important. I need to learn more about what environmental law looks like in the context of Iowa, especially in regards to what work still needs to be done. However, thinking about what is possible in Iowa excites me very much. I think it is really important that I learn from this experience to familiarize myself with what environmental attorneys do. Thus, in order to use this position to create change, I first need to educate myself on what that change could look like, and then we can get to work!

Nina Marquardt, Class of 2026 Hometown : Cedar Rapids, Iowa  Summer position: I will be working as a clerk at the nonprofit Driftless Water Defenders in Iowa City. 

Why is environmental or public interest work important to you?   As someone who has always loved being outdoors and learning about nature, I try to be a steward of the environment, not just a consumer. Environmental and public interest work aligns with my values and passions for preserving the environment and establishing a foundation for my community to be sustainable and resilient. I see environmental and public interest work as a fundamental responsibility to create a sustainable and equitable society as environmental issues intersect with social justice concerns. By advocating and working for environmental protection and responsible practices, we can address systemic inequalities and ensure a better future for generations to come. This funding will significantly improve my education and professional goals by allowing me to focus on my upcoming summer clerkship position without having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. I plan to use this clerkship as an opportunity to grow my legal research and writing skills. Specifically, I would like to become more acquainted with environmental law, specifically in Iowa. I would like to learn more about how it functions and what I need to do to succeed as an environmental lawyer in the state.

Sonia Mehra, Class of 2025 Hometown : Eden Prairie, Minnesota Summer position : Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. I will be working on providing grants to counties for water maintenance and development, working on projects revolving around the usage of wells, and there is an ongoing project with FEMA on creating disaster plans for spills that could have a radiological impact on human health. How will this HELI summer grant make a difference in your education and professional goals? I am so excited to be able to pursue my interest in the intersection of Healthcare Law and Environmental Law at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services this summer. The funding that HELI has given me makes a huge difference in my educational goals.  Thanks to that funding, I can afford to get experiential credits for the work that I am doing this summer and has helped fund my housing in Des Moines. Without this grant, I don’t think it would have been financially possible for me to accept this internship.

Bryce Merges, Class of 2026 Hometown: Ames, IA   Summer position : I will be working at the Des Moines office of the Environmental Law and Policy Center under Senior Attorney Josh Mandelbaum. I will be researching and writing memos about environmental issues affecting Iowa such as clean water access, clean energy usage, zoning, and other related issues.  

  How will this funding support make a difference in your education and professional goals? Receiving this funding allowed me to pursue a position doing important work for our state that I wouldn't have been able to do without receiving the funding. I will be able to save money for the upcoming semester while exploring an area that I am interested in, and I am very thankful for the support to be able to do it.  

Kristjan Nixon, Class of 2026 Hometown : Pierre, South Dakota Summer position: I will be working at the Driftless Water Defenders. Our project for the summer is the first section of a handbook that will help lawyers in Iowa access environmental law.   

Why is environmental or public interest work important to you?  Environmental work is important to me because I've grown up with the climate crisis. Watching winters get shorter and weather get more erratic is a surreal experience that has reinforced the value of the world we have. Environmental advocacy moves our society toward a balance with nature, and I hope to help however I can.

Kegan Peters, Class of 2025 Hometown: Ames, Iowa Summer position: This summer I will be interning in Washington D.C. in the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Environment & Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. After graduation, I hope to practice environmental law for either the government or a non-profit. Post-graduation I also look forward to continuing to explore my interest in academic research and writing. 

How has funding support made a difference in your education and professional goals: Without HELI funding I would never have traveled to the ABA SEER conference in Chicago. I'm so glad I did, though, as I met some fabulous environmental attorneys at the conference who I'm sure will be my mentors for years to come.

Charles Petersen, Class of 2026 Hometown: Marion, Iowa Summer position: I am working as a legal intern for Clean Wisconsin assisting them in environmental issues involving water quality, air quality, and climate.   

How will this funding support make a difference in your education and professional goals: This funding will make a difference in my education and professional goals by providing the necessary support for me to take this opportunity in another state. Working for an organization involved with environmental legal issues, scientific research, and public policy will be a unique experience and learning opportunity. I will get valuable hands-on experience with attorneys working in this critical field of law. As a student traversing law school on a limited budget, I really appreciate HELI’s funding support in allowing me to get this experience.  

Mark Prihoda, Class of 2026 Hometown : Brookfield, Wisconsin Summer position: I will be working at the Driftless Water Defenders. The project for the summer is the first section of a handbook that will help lawyers in Iowa access environmental law.

How do you plan to use this position or experience to create change? My work at the Driftless Water Defenders will serve a non-partisan interest in providing legal theories for victims of water pollution. I am very excited to be working under the guidance of Mr. Larew to help develop this environmental law framework for the public! There are few things more important—to everyone—than clean water.  

Nate Spindler-Krage, Class of 2026 Hometown: Rochester, Minnesota   Summer position: I will be working as a Summer Law Clerk at the Iowa Environmental Council in Des Moines, where I will advocate for justice in our water quality and utility regulation, from both policy and legal perspectives. It is critical that Iowa has effective, forward-thinking laws and that Iowa agencies base their decisions on science and community input from all stakeholders.  

Why is environmental or public interest work important to you? Environmental work has spoken to me since I was a child, from fishing in the driftless, to tree planting and cutting buckthorn, to my first controlled burn at my grandparents' farm- I love it all: having my hands in the soil, paddling lakes, seeking out new birds or plants, hiking new places, and studying the world around me. Following education and a job in soil and water conservation, I know that people love their land but often fail to treat it well. As individuals, it often feels impossible to change the course of our society. In Iowa and much of the Midwest, we face soil loss, water quality degradation, and a quickly changing climate. We need to halt environmental destruction while adapting to what we change—and that requires everyone.   Public interest work is critical because it bridges the gap between individuals and society. We may (1) build connections within our communities and (2) leverage the law to codify and enforce expectations—our hopes and dreams. Now, too often, we see our communities struggling alongside our environment. Public interest work may help us reverse course so that we, our children, and our children's children are able to connect with a safe and beautiful Iowa.

Samuel William, Class of 2026 Hometown: Shoreview, Minnesota

Where are you working this summer, and what will you be working on: I will work at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) as a Summer Clerk. MCEA's mission is to use the law to protect Minnesota's environment, natural resources, and the health of its citizens. I will support this mission over the summer by offering research, legal analysis, and summarized findings on identified legal issues; document review, contact with administrative agencies, and pleadings drafting; analyzing potential cases and developing legal strategies; and attending client and administrative hearings.

How do you plan to use this position or experience to create change?  I plan on using this experience to further the preservation of Minnesota's beautiful environment. Organizations like MCEA are vital to ensuring that other entities comply with their obligations to avoid pollution and take responsible measures to remedy any environmental damage. Every case that MCEA wins for the environment contributes to awareness of these issues and the problems that lurk behind the scenes. I am thrilled to be a contributor to the change that this position engages within. 

Expanding professional networks

The Hubbell Initiative was created by the vision and generosity of alumni Charlotte Beyer Hubbell (76JD) and Fred Hubbell (76JD) and provides an active forum for interdisciplinary engagement on important environmental issues, supports law students and curriculum, and ultimately raises the environmental bar in Iowa.

The HELI team will continue to expand the network of partner organizations to establish relationships for future internship placements. If you are a member of an organization that would like to host summer interns, contact HELI at [email protected] . 

Join us in wishing our summer interns good luck in their endeavors.