UNDP (UN Women, UNFPA and UNOPS) Staff Committee Survey of the changes at UNDP

This is available on the UN staff committee web site and i think speaks to what i said in my previous blog. It is time for the UN Secretary General to step in and stop the process. 

Summary of Staff Council survey results 

In order to quickly gather feedback from staff about the management of the Structural Change process so far, the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS/UN Women Staff Council conducted a brief survey following the Town Hall meeting that took place on 16 June 2014.  The survey was launched on the afternoon of 17 June and closed at midnight on 19 June 2014.  Even with a tight turnaround time, the response rate was significant, and demonstrates how strongly staff feel about the current work climate at UNDP.

Who completed the survey?     656 of 980 HQ staff completed the survey  (2/3 of all at HQ/NY)

  

·         Slightly more women than men:    56% respondents were female

·         More international staff:    67% International appointment

·         Most FT Contract type (67%) and Permanent (26%) responded

·         Two age groups responded most:  40% 36-45 yrs age group & 31% 46-55 yrs age group

·         Almost equal spread of years with UNDP: 

o   34% have 11 yrs or more,

o   33% have 1-5 yrs,

o   29% have 6-10 yrs

*IF you accept the PowerPoint the Structural Change people did last week, which says we have 980 staff at HQ/NY, then the response rate is just over 2/3 of all HQ/NY staff who completed the survey.

Attitudes toward the management of the Structural Change process so far

7% understand the logic of the new structure

4% say the realignment process has been well explained to them

40% have very little trust in the Administrator & the senior management team, 37.5% have no trust at all  (total = 75%+)

61% say they are affected by the changes, 39% say they’re not (but Comments section many say they don’t know yet)

3% can name the members of the Governance Group & describe its function

9% say they have confidence in the Administrator

84% say the process should stop immediately, establish a Staff & Mgmt Committee to review the process and be part of the future movement

Some common trends in the “Comments” section (Q15)

Many respondents agreed that they support change at UNDP, but they were united in decrying the way the Administrator and her Management Team have gone about the process, citing disregard for UN rules and regulations and any sort of due process.

Respondents asked why no financial or cost-benefit analysis had been provided and explained to staff.

Several respondents asked if the Executive Board approved and supported these measures

Several staff members also asked why the Secretary General had not been heard from yet

Many staff  used the term “inhumane” when describing the process and pointed to the hypocrisy of UNDP, as a humanitarian organization, treating its own staff the way it is attempting to do.

Many respondents called on the Staff Council to be more involved (calling for a class action, calling for the involvement of the ILO, convening a Staff & Mgmt Committee, etc.)

Respondents frequently cited the absence of staff involvement and buy-in and the complete lack of a consultative process.

Many staff commented on the negative effect the process has had on staff morale and loyalty to UNDP.