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What do 'best practices' represent in the world of work?

'Best practices' are the dogmas of the working world. They represent what is considered most effective, although their effectiveness is generally not rigorously proven.

Where do best practices lead us?

To applying a rule rather than analyzing the situation.
A best practice is a bit like a cooking recipe, so it is assumed that following it will result in a good dish. In practice, this leads to a rigid and overly precise application of the recipe (for example, weighing ingredients to the gram), and a lack of interest in the final dish that turns out to be bad.

What is the reliability and effectiveness of best practices?

In general, and particularly in the field of management, best practices are based on unproven dogmas aimed at preserving and favoring the privileged (typically non-operational roles) while making the underprivileged (typically operational staff) compliant and passive. In this sense, the comparison between management and the clergy is striking.

By contrast, in rare fields such as modern medicine, best practices are rigorously validated and aim to ensure quality practice by opposing the individual initiatives of original, poorly rigorous, or overly ambitious practitioners.

Who promotes new best practices?

Mainly people who belong to—or wish to form—a new clergy! These are often consultants supported by those who have been laid off, who see this as a convenient way to find a new, comfortable position.

Why do most people agree with not questioning best practices?

Four reasons:
It allows one to avoid intellectual effort.
It allows one to access positions beyond their actual competencies.
It allows one to focus more energy on forming alliances.
Finally and most importantly, it allows one to disengage from responsibility.

Go deeper

Read the article Institutionalized Organizations: Formal Structure as Myth and Ceremony published by John W. Meyer and Brian Rowan in 1977 in the journal American Journal of Sociology.

The book by Mats Alvesson and André Spicer The Stupidity Paradox: The Power and Pitfalls of Functional Stupidity at Work discusses the same topic in a more narrative form.

The issue of best practices in the world of work is discussed in the section 'Cognitive Dissonance in the Workplace' of chapter 3 'Cognitive Dissonance' of the book From Capital to Reason.

Chapters 10 'The Journal of Strategic Reflections' and 11 'Operational Control' of the book From Capital to Reason present a method for moving from observed problems to implementing non-dogmatic solutions through organized strategic reflection.

The Cochrane Collaboration is a good example of the heavy work required to rigorously validate a piece of knowledge or the relevance of a practice.