HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

1 1 United Nations, Department of Management, June 2010

Towards a Global Secretariat Sixty years ago, the United Nations was founded as an intergovernmental organization focusing primarily on multilateral diplomacy with negotiations and consultative meetings held at Headquarters. Today, the United Nations has evolved into a field‐based organization with a multitude of different responsibilities in the area of peace and security, humanitarian affairs, human rights and development. Nearly 70 % of its staff works in locations outside Headquarters.

Human resources reform By resolution 63/250 adopted on 10 February 2009, the General‐Assembly approved a number of human resources reform proposals that paved the way for an integrated Global Secretariat. Implementation began on 1 July 2009, when the contractual reform and the harmonization of the conditions of service came into effect. • Streamlined contractual arrangements: Consolidation of 16 types of employment contracts to one

contract with three types of appointments: • Temporary Appointment (< one year) • Fixed‐Term (requirements of > one year, renewable) • Continuing Appointments (open‐ended): will be submitted to the 65th session of the

General Assembly for further consideration

• Harmonized conditions of service: Establishing uniform conditions for staff in the field and at Headquarters to promote fairness and mobility has begun, but gaps in the compensation package

1949 Total staff members: 1,549 New York: 1018 Other offices: 231 Field locations: 300

2010 Total staff members: 39,500 Headquarters: 12,696 (New York, Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi) Regional commissions: 2,689 Other field locations: 1,553 Tribunals: 1,842 Peacekeeping missions: 20,720

As of 1949

As of April 2010

Human Resources Management

2 United Nations, Department of Management, June 2010

continue to exist for staff assigned to non‐family missions. The International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) is developing options to address this issue that will be recommended to the General Assembly in the Fall 2010.

Talent Management is the framework integrating HR processes: recruitment, staff development, performance management and workforce planning, to better attract and manage talent in order to deliver on our mandates. In April 2010, a new technology system to support TM, inspira, was launched to integrate and replace several different human resources systems and provide a common platform across the Global Secretariat.

• Recruitment: Overhauled staff selection system introduced in April 2010 streamlining selection process, opening opportunities for career development, encouraging mobility and supporting advancement of women in the Organization.

• Performance Management: Introduced Performance Management and Development system (policy and IT tools) strengthening the link between performance management and career development and instituting a multi‐rater system for managers to obtain feedback from staff to support the development of managerial skills ‐ piloted implementation April 2010; full roll‐out in 2011.

• Learning Management: Established minimum target of training days per year for each staff; developing strategic priorities and learning plans; launch of a global e‐learning platform accessible anywhere, anytime to all staff in 2011.

• National Competitive Recruitment Examination: Streamline selection process and enhance programme for entry level staff to attract new talent and improve geographical representation of under/unrepresented Member States to be presented to the General Assembly in the Fall 2010.

(All data current as of April 2010)

Geographical distribution in the United Nations

2,841 staff are recruited against posts subject to geographical distribution Within the category of posts subject to geographic distribution, in 2010, 14 Member States were unrepresented and 29 under‐represented (Dec 2008: 15 unrepresented/25 underrepresented)

Gender balance in the United Nations

Overall 35% of staff are female • 50% at HQ and Regional Commissions • 20% in field operations

23% of Under‐Secretary‐Generals and Assistant Secretary‐Generals are female

26% of Directors are women

41% of professionals are women