REFORM IS ABOUT GETTING RIGHT PEOPLE WITH RIGHT SKILLS IN RIGHT JOB AT RIGHT TIME, SECRETARY-GENERAL STATES

29 October 1998

Press Release
SG/SM/6778
ORG/1273

REFORM IS ABOUT GETTING RIGHT PEOPLE WITH RIGHT SKILLS IN RIGHT JOB AT RIGHT TIME, SECRETARY-GENERAL STATES

19981029 Meeting with Staff on Human Resources Management Reform, Kofi Annan Stresses Need to Identify, Recruit, Develop, Retain Best Possible Staff

Following are the opening remarks by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the open meeting for staff on human resources management reforms, in New York today:

Our Organization is about people -- men and women -- not structures, not buildings. Without competent staff, an organization cannot excel. We need to be able to identify, recruit, develop and retain the best possible staff in order to operate efficiently and effectively.

We are here today to talk about one of the most difficult questions on the United Nations agenda, and I do not mean Cyprus or the Middle East. We are here to talk about a pervasive presence in our lives, one that is often erratic and unpredictable, and I do not mean El Niño. We are here to talk about human resources management, a central concern of yours and mine and a subject at the heart of our efforts to make the United Nations as good as it can be. It is no exaggeration to say that this is a "make-or-break" issue for our Organization.

What are our difficulties? We are too complicated and too slow. We are over-administrated, with too many rules and too many regulations. We have mandates, goals and functions that overlap or sometimes work at cross purposes. There are not enough opportunities to move ahead or even move around. We do not invest enough in our people. We do not adequately reward high performers, but we appear to tolerate underperformance. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. There is much that is good about our human resources management, which I wish to build on. But we need to overhaul the many areas that are not working well.

As you know, my long-awaited report to the General Assembly on human resources management reform has now been issued. The document symbol is A/53/414. My right-hand woman, Louise Fréchette, and I would both like to say

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a few words about the report. Then we will be glad to open the floor and answer your questions.

The report is a policy paper, not a catalogue of specific measures. It sets out a strategic direction -- a policy umbrella -- a long-term vision -- and identifies a number of concrete suggestions. It draws on consultations with staff and management, and on the recommendations of the task force, which has now finished its work.

The reform of our human resources management is an integral part of United Nations reform in general. It cannot be carried out in isolation. And like reform, it is a process. It cannot be achieved overnight. We have identified the most urgent priorities, and are tackling those first. We have already implemented some quick-impact measures in all key areas, including staff administration, recruitment and placement and career development. We are studying options for a range of additional measures. Our overall time-frame for implementation is the next three-to-five years.

In the broadest sense, the reform of human resources management is about getting the right people with the right skills in the right job at the right time. It is about attitude and aptitude; respect for fundamental principles of fairness, diversity and due process; and upholding the requirements for gender and geographical balance. We want every person to be where they will be most useful: this is good for you and your career aspirations; and it is good for the Organization in enabling it to meet the challenges the Member States have placed upon us.

You are probably wondering how you will actually feel reform in action. Through decentralization and delegation of authority, departments will run more and more of their day-to-day affairs. You will have more opportunities for training, you will see new mechanisms for accountability, and you will be able to participate in increased dialogue up and down the hierarchy. Conditions of service will be enhanced, and we will fight for that.

I want to reassure you that reform in this area does not mean staff cuts. I know there are apprehensions about this. However, from time to time as mandates change, the Organization may need to retrain, redeploy and reassign staff. We must be flexible. All of us.

I know you are also concerned about mobility. I myself have served in a number of functions and duty stations. Doing so adds to a sense of common purpose, and allows you to develop new skills and have enriching new experiences. I want to encourage mobility in this global Secretariat, but this is not only a question of geography. There is also functional mobility.

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Reform is in everyone's interest, but I am aware that we need to do more in terms of communication, dialogue and consultation to get this point across. I am also aware that reform can be unsettling. But, if we have good information, there will be less tendency to resist. And if we all participate, it becomes our scheme, our plan, not one that is pushed on us. You can count on me to foster an open, transparent environment of mutual trust. I encourage all of you to come forward with your suggestions. To assist in this process, early next month a Cyber-Forum will be operational on the United Nations Intranet site as one way for the Office of Human Resources Management and the Department of Management to obtain your opinions and advice on proposed human resources initiatives.

"Who will change old lamps for new?" runs the question in the Arabian Nights. I say we will; today and in the years ahead, while keeping the eternal light of United Nations ideals before us as our guide. In that spirit, let us hear first from the Deputy Secretary-General and then we will open the floor.

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