ILO reform
Message by the Director-General announcing decisions on the reform of field operations and structure
17 March 2014
Colleagues
Today, I want to share with you a number of my initial decisions on reform of the ILO’s field operations and structures.
These decisions have been informed by the Report of the Field Review Team which has already been posted on the Intranet. And I want to thank André Bogui and all of the team for their great work.
The Report provides a rigorous examination of the Office-wide working methods and processes which underpin the way we work in-country and at regional level. And it has provided me with invaluable insights and contributed greatly to the decisions I am announcing today.
Let me begin by recalling why we invested such effort in the review.
As we are all aware, we launched the review against the backdrop of a rapidly transforming world of work, conscious that it is vital that our field operations capture and respond to these changes. We simply cannot fall behind the pace.
At the same time the international development policy paradigm which sets the scene for the delivery of services to our member States, has also evolved very significantly and continues to do so.
Linked to this but meriting a special focus, is the need to equip the ILO to play its full role in the post 2015 agenda and to pursue our action in the context of UN Reform.
And not least, in the regions as elsewhere, our reform efforts are driven by a firm commitment to securing greater efficiency and effectiveness. We must give value for money.
And as we strive to do all of this as “one ILO”, the reform must overcome longstanding obstacles to seamless cooperation between headquarters and the field, adding another global dimension to building teamwork.
From the outset I want to emphasize that this is a process. Today’s decisions will be implemented within this biennium. Some will need time to play out. And we will need to be flexible in responding to evolving situations. Other decisions will come later. But I am determined that we will stay the course as we have with the rest of the Reform process.
And this brings me to the big picture.
The results of our Field Reform should contribute significantly to the overall reform effort and be enabled by it. Together they will contribute to the overarching reform goal of deepening and expanding the ILO’s influence in the world of work, of delivering our social justice mandate globally in a context that is not always supportive of our values and principles.
So the principles that guided the reform commitment as a whole, have guided the field review too:
And that is why a consultative approach has been adopted throughout the process and how your views and insights have played so important a role.
I have decided to focus on a limited number of key issues in each area – but all these are, I believe, at the heart of a successful reform of field operations and ultimately of successful ILO reform as a whole.
And it has to be stressed that this field reform meshes with the rest of the reform programme. It means that success in the field will hinge on reforms in other areas, including those still to be tackled – in certain areas of administrative services for example and will equally contribute to the achievement of broader organization-wide objectives.
So, let me now turn to the different areas of decision.
And here six main points for action will be addressed:
Here two main lines of action are envisaged, aimed at strengthening the links in the ILO’s service supply chain:
How do we go about delivery and action?
The decisions I have announced today set a clear direction for the implementation of the Field Reform in a way that will support broader reform objectives and at the same time draw on the outcomes of other parts of the reform commitment.
These add up to a far-reaching agenda that will have implications for the way all of us work and on the impact that the ILO has.
Meanwhile we will move with real purpose towards the remaining decisions, with consultation and open communication the defining way of doing things.
And so today, I have established “an Implementation Support Team”. It will be headed by Philippe Egger and will include André Bogui who, as you know led the field team, and also Thetis Mangahas. These colleagues bring a great depth and breadth of experience to this institutional challenge. I want to thank them in advance for their work and ask all of you to extend your full cooperation to them.
The Implementation Support Team will work under the oversight of DDG/FOP coordinating with Regional Directors, Turin and in liaison with all portfolios. Implementation decisions will be submitted to the SMT/GMT.
One of the first tasks of the Implementation Support Team will be to develop a prioritized plan about how and when decisions will take effect.
With these decisions we take new steps to putting in place all the building blocks of the ‘one ILO’ that will enable us to translate expertise and commitment across the House into better delivery, results and impact, so that we can exercise influence and make a positive difference in the lives of working women and men across the world. In the end that is the challenge of reform - and with the hard work of you all, we are getting there. So thank you for that and thank you for your attention to this message.
Today, I want to share with you a number of my initial decisions on reform of the ILO’s field operations and structures.
These decisions have been informed by the Report of the Field Review Team which has already been posted on the Intranet. And I want to thank André Bogui and all of the team for their great work.
The Report provides a rigorous examination of the Office-wide working methods and processes which underpin the way we work in-country and at regional level. And it has provided me with invaluable insights and contributed greatly to the decisions I am announcing today.
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So why have we launched the Field Review:
Let me begin by recalling why we invested such effort in the review.
As we are all aware, we launched the review against the backdrop of a rapidly transforming world of work, conscious that it is vital that our field operations capture and respond to these changes. We simply cannot fall behind the pace.
At the same time the international development policy paradigm which sets the scene for the delivery of services to our member States, has also evolved very significantly and continues to do so.
Linked to this but meriting a special focus, is the need to equip the ILO to play its full role in the post 2015 agenda and to pursue our action in the context of UN Reform.
And not least, in the regions as elsewhere, our reform efforts are driven by a firm commitment to securing greater efficiency and effectiveness. We must give value for money.
And as we strive to do all of this as “one ILO”, the reform must overcome longstanding obstacles to seamless cooperation between headquarters and the field, adding another global dimension to building teamwork.
From the outset I want to emphasize that this is a process. Today’s decisions will be implemented within this biennium. Some will need time to play out. And we will need to be flexible in responding to evolving situations. Other decisions will come later. But I am determined that we will stay the course as we have with the rest of the Reform process.
And this brings me to the big picture.
The results of our Field Reform should contribute significantly to the overall reform effort and be enabled by it. Together they will contribute to the overarching reform goal of deepening and expanding the ILO’s influence in the world of work, of delivering our social justice mandate globally in a context that is not always supportive of our values and principles.
Guiding Principles
So the principles that guided the reform commitment as a whole, have guided the field review too:
- Transparency and inclusiveness
- Cost neutrality – we are working with a zero real growth budget which means we must become smarter in the way we use our resources bringing to bear effectively where most needed.
- Understanding and responding to constituent needs and priorities as we are mandated to do by the 2008 Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization.
And that is why a consultative approach has been adopted throughout the process and how your views and insights have played so important a role.
So, the decisions: the changes we need to make:
In the context that I have described, I have grouped certain initial decisions about where we need to change in four areas:- Improving our Strategic Management and Programming
- Enhancing Quality Service Delivery
- Investing in our people
- Improving presence and partnerships
I have decided to focus on a limited number of key issues in each area – but all these are, I believe, at the heart of a successful reform of field operations and ultimately of successful ILO reform as a whole.
And it has to be stressed that this field reform meshes with the rest of the reform programme. It means that success in the field will hinge on reforms in other areas, including those still to be tackled – in certain areas of administrative services for example and will equally contribute to the achievement of broader organization-wide objectives.
So, let me now turn to the different areas of decision.
First, Improving our Strategic Management and Programming
Greater efficiency can be achieved through improving our programme management capabilities, together with closer monitoring and reporting. These measures should ensure that there is a ‘clear line of sight’ from the high-level policy goals down to individual country-level activities, thus ensuring that we can all focus on and contribute together to priority outcomes.And here six main points for action will be addressed:
- Firstly, a global typology of member States will be established by the end of this year. The ILO needs to be capable of tuning in better to the different circumstances of member States and understanding their needs in order to customize our services to meet them. Such a typology will give us the lens through which we develop relevant and useful services, tools and products.
- Secondly, DWCP methodologies will be re-engineered as key building blocks of the programming process.
- Thirdly, coherent and transparent mechanisms for integrated programming of regular and voluntary resources will be established by the end of the year.
- Fourth, the new technical cooperation and resource mobilization strategy will be submitted to the Governing Body in November 2014 for adoption;
- Fifth, the revised TC strategy proposal will include a focus on the development of larger decent work “flagship” programmes that should embody the ILO’s values, approaches and comparative advantage; and
- Sixthly, the commitment already made to redeploy a minimum of $15 million of resources from administrative functions to technical needs will be met by the end of this biennium.
Enhancing Quality Service Delivery
There have been many attempts to define what quality service delivery is in the ILO context. At its simplest, I see it as getting our own “supply chain” working effectively – with each part knowing what it should be doing and then doing it well. That chain needs to flow from upstream research and analytical work, right through to final service delivery.Here two main lines of action are envisaged, aimed at strengthening the links in the ILO’s service supply chain:
- The first, well, we will adopt a Global Technical Team approach bringing together in one team technical specialists on a given subject in Geneva and in the field so as to promote stronger cooperation, achieve greater impact in the regions and facilitate knowledge sharing.
- And secondly, the roles and responsibilities of all structures from Country Offices to Decent Work Teams, Regional Offices and Headquarters services will be clearly defined by the end of the year with each one held accountable for discharging them. This is fundamental, including to the success of the Global Team approach. Translated into operational guidelines and job descriptions clarity will bring real empowerment to individuals and promote better team work across our network. To pick out just one area in particular, there needs to be specific emphasis on defining the profile and the role of National Officers – often the back bone of our work in the Field - to ensure better alignment with the functions that they perform.
And now investing in our People:
Field reform interacts closely with the implementation of the ILO human resources strategy.- Firstly, the new staff mobility policy will be introduced by the end of this year. And a message coming through loud and clear from the Field Review is the need to build a sustainable staffing model that provides real opportunity and incentives for mobility between Geneva and the field - in both directions and between functions. Staff want it. The ILO needs it. And we must make it happen.
- Secondly, the review also showed up clearly that the ILO has made enormous demand on field office managers and done little to train and support them to succeed. And so a dedicated programme for strengthening the capacity of and support to field managers and national staff in field offices will be developed with the Turin Centre, again by the end of this year.
Improving our presence and partnerships
It is important that the ILO be close to its constituents. And that means being present in the right geographical locations and present too and active in the processes which matter to them and in the relevant partnerships. So we will act to address both of these needs.- Firstly, strategies to facilitate and improve interaction with the multilateral system and with regional partners will be produced by the end of 2014. The ILO needs to work as a player within an evolving multilateral and regional environment to achieve our ends. And such relationships and partnerships are growing increasingly complex – the aim will be to provide consistent, timely and reliable guidance for our engagement.
- And secondly, the revised location, structure and profile of field offices will be decided by March of 2015. And I appreciate fully that this is the issue that matters most to many staff and draws much of our constituents’ particular attention. The logic of the field review and the reform is that structure must follow needs and function and that is exactly how decision-making will work. Ultimately, the changes will require us to consider how our network of offices could be re-configured to meet the present demands most effectively and taking into account for example better alignment with regional partners and the need to oversee our representation in non- resident countries. The Review has rightly stressed the advantages of concentrating necessary critical mass in DWTs and in focusing Regional Offices on their proper strategic and political relationship roles. And these will be important considerations as we tackle the complex issues, which lie ahead of us. They will require extensive consultations with constituents and with staff. That will take a bit of time, but I am committed to doing it right.
And then how do we make all of this happen?
How do we go about delivery and action?
The decisions I have announced today set a clear direction for the implementation of the Field Reform in a way that will support broader reform objectives and at the same time draw on the outcomes of other parts of the reform commitment.
These add up to a far-reaching agenda that will have implications for the way all of us work and on the impact that the ILO has.
Meanwhile we will move with real purpose towards the remaining decisions, with consultation and open communication the defining way of doing things.
And so today, I have established “an Implementation Support Team”. It will be headed by Philippe Egger and will include André Bogui who, as you know led the field team, and also Thetis Mangahas. These colleagues bring a great depth and breadth of experience to this institutional challenge. I want to thank them in advance for their work and ask all of you to extend your full cooperation to them.
The Implementation Support Team will work under the oversight of DDG/FOP coordinating with Regional Directors, Turin and in liaison with all portfolios. Implementation decisions will be submitted to the SMT/GMT.
One of the first tasks of the Implementation Support Team will be to develop a prioritized plan about how and when decisions will take effect.
With these decisions we take new steps to putting in place all the building blocks of the ‘one ILO’ that will enable us to translate expertise and commitment across the House into better delivery, results and impact, so that we can exercise influence and make a positive difference in the lives of working women and men across the world. In the end that is the challenge of reform - and with the hard work of you all, we are getting there. So thank you for that and thank you for your attention to this message.