Managing%20the%20General%20Secretariat

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Managing the General Secretariats Personnel
Policy
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Summary of Presentation

• I. Mandate
• II. Challenges Encountered
• III. Our Resources Budget and Staff
• IV. Context for Action Plan
• V. Action Plan

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I. Mandate

• to instruct the General Secretariat to submit
  recommendations with regard to personnel policy
  and its sustainability, in light of new mandates,
  the recent restructuring of the General
  Secretariat, and the financial condition of the
  OAS.
• AG/RES. 2353 (XXXVII-O07)

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• II. Challenges Encountered

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II. Challenges Encountered

• OAS and other multilaterals management
  structures have not kept pace with evolving
  international standards and trends, particularly
  in human resources administration.
• The human and financial resource base has not
  grown at the pace of new mandates.
• Changes to practices and norms have been
  piecemeal rather than comprehensive, focusing on
  crisis response or specific needs, not the
  strategic management of resources.
• Decentralization of management practices, with
  insufficient accountability for resources.

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II. Challenges encountered (cont.)

• Lack of standardization and systematization of
  processes.
• Outdated regulations and procedures that hinder a
  more efficient management of human resources.
• Uneven enforcement of human resources policies
  and rules.
• Incomplete registers of personnel (e.g. field
  personnel).

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• III. Our Resources

Budget and Staff
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Resources Outline

• A. Evolution of Personnel Costs
• B. Staff Member Count 1996-2007
• C. Total Budget and Total Staff
• D. Budget and Staff distribution by Programs
  Areas

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III. Our Resources A. Evolution of
Personnel Costs (Total Budget vs. Total Payroll)
Est.
In millions of US
2007 Total Budget US 163 Million
1997 Total Budget US 109.7 Million
Est.
In 1997 payroll was 47.1 of total budget and in
2007 it was 40.2.
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III. Our Resources B. Staff Member Count
1996-2007
Headcount as of December 31, 2007. Includes 10
Associates, who were not adequately reported in
prior years and excludes 12 individuals working
for the Trust for the Americas, who are not
employees of the GS/OAS. The figure also excludes
approximately 161 Temporary Support Personnel
(TSPs) and 89 Local Professionals (LPs) in field
missions as of 1/1/08. These individuals mainly
work in special missions such as electoral
observations, peace missions and de-mining and
are financed with Specific Funds. The number
fluctuates significantly month to month. CPRs are
not included and are not part of this report.
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III. Our Resources C. Total Budget and
Total Staff

• Total estimated budget for 2008 US157.3 million
• Total projected personnel budget US 68.8
  million
• Total staff 711 as of December 31, 2007

Refer to previous footnote.
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III. Our Resources D. Budget Distribution
by Program Areas
The total amount of Basic Infrastructure and
Common Costs of 12.1 million in the Regular Fund
was proportionally distributed into all areas
based on the number of staff in the 2008 Approved
Program-Budget .
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III. Our Resources D. Staff Distribution by
Program Areas
Total GS/OAS staff members 711
Staff
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• IV. Context for Action Plan

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IV. Context for Action Plan

• The General Secretariat recognizes the importance
  of a Personnel Policy that supports the efficient
  use of its scarce resources.
• Our human resources policy seeks to
• Align resources to mandates and resulting
  organizational needs,
• Develop an accountability culture that measures
  quantifiable results linked to institutional
  objectives,
• Update and simplify processes to add value to the
  Organization and permit optimization of
  resources,
• Engage in succession planning and projection of
  future requirements.
• To achieve these objectives, the GS/OAS has
  developed the following Action Plan, with the
  participation of staff members throughout the
  General Secretariat and in consultation with the
  Staff Association Committee.

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• V. Action Plan

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V. Action Plan
A.
Workforce and Resource Planning
C.
B.
Simplification and Modernization of Processes
Staff Development
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V. Action Plan A. Workforce and Resource
Planning

• Align GS/OAS workforce planning with best
  practices and changing needs.
• Position Administration and Classification
• Record and manage all positions administered by
  the General Secretariat.
• Plan and prioritize position requirements
  according to projected budgets and mandates.
• Develop and implement generic position
  descriptions, as appropriate.
• Standardize policies and procedures for position
  classifications.
• Match skills with positions.
• Proactively respond to changing organizational
  needs.

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V. Action Plan A. Workforce and Resource
Planning (cont.)

• Recruitment and Succession Planning
• Monitor and incorporate into the recruitment
  strategy mandates on geographic and gender
  distribution of staff members.
• Expand the recruitment pool, e.g. Internship
  Program.
• Identify key positions to ensure a plan for
  their succession in an established time
  frame.
• 15 of staff will be eligible to retire in the
  next 3 years.
• Foster knowledge sharing and mentoring.

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V. Action Plan B. Staff Development

• Develop an accountability culture that measures
  quantifiable results linked to institutional
  objectives.
• Training and Development
• Structured and targeted training, geared at
  institutional needs and based on position
• requirements.
• Performance Evaluation Management
• Ongoing development of the Performance
  Evaluation System.
• Recognition of high performance to encourage
  retention.
• Respond to performance issues and engage in
  improvement actions.
• Job Satisfaction Survey
• Design and apply a work conditions and
  environment survey.
• Develop an action plan according to findings.

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V. Action Plan C. Simplification and
Modernization of Processes

• Update and simplify processes to add value to the
  Organization and optimize resources.
• Human Resources Processes Review
• Simplification and integration of human
  resources processes.
• Comparison of other international organizations
  best practices.
• Align human resources processes to Specific
  Funds project management requirements,
  within existing General Standards and Staff
  Rules.
• Staff Rules Review
• Eliminate inconsistencies between General
  Standards and Staff Rules.
• Streamline and simplify in response to current
  organizational needs.
• Clarify rights, duties and responsibilities of
  staff members.

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V. Action Plan C. Simplification and
Modernization of Processes

• OASES Upgrade
• Maximize use of existing ORACLE functionality.
• Redefine and integrate business processes into
  the Organizations operational system.
• Reporting
• Complete personnel database (e.g. LPs/TSPs).

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In summary

• Proper human resources management is essential to
  a well-functioning organization.
• Our challenge is to maintain a staff that is well
  equipped for the needs of the Organization and
  committed to its success.

CP19576E
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