Kul Gautam, Mary Racelis, Fouad Kronfol: Discuss the Measures Set Out by the ED in Response to the ITF Report on UNICEF's Work Environment

Fouad Kronfol


My thoughts exactly ! The overly complex mechanisms proposed will take the usual bureaucratic and meandering route so that the process becomes an end unto itself.What it will help solve as real issues are probably too few and undeserving of such high attention. And, as in many instances before, the cycle will complete itself until,another high level review will become necessary....et plus ca change, plus ca reste le meme.... Underlying this whole matter I asked myself, how come after more than seven decades of existence UNICEF is still unable to develop its "culture" to something that is acceptable to both its management and its staff?

Mary, your suggestion for a role for XUNICEF is worthy of consideration.....many of us are alumni of the personnel function and can perhaps provide useful and objective insights into the investigations that may arise.
Cheers.

Fouad


Mary Racelis

Would XUNICEF be one source of lay panel members in investigations? If so, should we include that in our list of contributions in the MOU? -- Not now but maybe next round?


I just went through the measures the organization will undertake. Complex indeed. Your points are well taken.




Kul Gautam


I fully appreciate the spirit behind the interim measures adopted and agree with the statement "It should never be a trade-off between good performance OR good results for children. We must strive for both – delivering the very best for children and doing so in a way that empowers and uplifts our people".



However, i worry that some of the proposed interim measures seem so elaborate, multi-layered and complex that UNICEF might end up spending far more time in its internal management processes than in delivering results for children at scale. I fear a few cantankerous and unhappy staff members might manage to get themselves nominated in some of these dispute resolution bodies and tie-up the organization in endless, circular appeal and review processes and make the management highly risk-averse, cautious, and defensive rather than being bold, innovative, and results-oriented - as we have seen occasionally in the past.


I hope UNICEF is able to strike the right balance.