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GB.271/PFA/12
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Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee |
PFA |
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TWELFTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Other personnel questions
Consultations on human resources management
and development: Progress report
1. At its 268th Session (March 1997), the Governing Body approved a set of changes in the procedures regulating the selection process and the Selection Board.(1) In approving these changes, the Governing Body took note of the wish of the staff representatives as well as the willingness of the administration to engage in a series of consultations concerning the broader issues of human resources management and development and not to limit the changes on personnel policies and practices to selection procedures alone. The Governing Body, at the request of the Worker Vice-Chairperson, requested that a progress report on these consultations be provided at the current session.
2. A Working Party consisting of members of the Personnel Department and members of the Staff Union Committee was established in July 1997. Over 15 meetings have been held to date, in addition to a one-day workshop on human resources development issues with external experts. The Working Party has outlined its mandate as a threefold exercise: to define the goals and objectives of a human resources policy as well as the respective roles and responsibilities of the administration and of the staff representatives; to identify the various components of human resources management and their interrelationships; and to reach agreement on the priority areas for discussion and change.
3. The Working Party has accorded priority over the past few months to matters relating to career development. While all of the discussions will be reviewed in a comprehensive manner prior to submitting concrete proposals to the Director-General, initial agreement has been reached on a definition of careers and an identification of their components, such as work assignments, performance, aptitudes and competencies, professional interests, training, mobility and prospective needs in terms of skills for the future programmes of the Organization. Agreement has not been reached on the need to pursue work in the areas of establishing a roster of skills, identifying potential and aspirations, setting up a career development unit in the Personnel Department and introducing methods of self-evaluation for individual officials.
4. In outlining career paths within the Office, the Working Party has identified performance management as a key area that needs reform. Agreement has been reached on the need to improve the current system of induction and orientation for new officials as well as the need to strengthen the performance management systems during the probationary period. In addition to establishing clear benchmarks and expectations for performance at the outset of an assignment, the Working Party has agreed that innovative measures are needed to provide guidance to new officials. Such measures could include performance review meetings on a regular basis, with or without the assistance of the Personnel Department, instituting a system of mentors, providing written materials on career paths and performance expectations.
5. Discussions are currently in progress on identifying improvements in the performance management system for all officials. Proposals for a pilot scheme to test a new approach are being reviewed, and the views of managers will be sought shortly. The Working Party plans to run a pilot scheme for at least six months and to conclude this aspect of its work by the end of November.
6. In the meantime, consultations will continue on the other components of career paths and career development. This includes human resource planning and mobility, a review of outstanding issues concerning recruitment and selection procedures, and discussions on those areas where agreement has not yet been reached mentioned in paragraph 3 above. The new recruitment and selection procedures were introduced in mid-1997 on a trial basis for two years, and an assessment will be made on the completion of that period. Discussions on how the new system will be evaluated have been initiated and will continue.
Geneva, 5 March 1998.