Photo: OIST
While the disparities in the reward structures between national and expatriate staff in our sector is not a new topic, it still leads to passionate debates. For example, this recent article highlights some of the issues faced by national staff. There are, however, agencies and projects looking at reducing these inequalities. One such initiative is Project FAIR – Fairness in Aid Remuneration. The research was concluded already in 2017, but the project is now working towards the creation of Principles and Standards of INGO Fair Reward: please read the Working Draft and provide your feedback.
As we are nearing the halfway mark of the year, many of us will be looking at preparing for our mid-year review – for ourselves, the teams we manage, or as HR practitioners providing organization-wide support. There is no shortage of articles and guidance trying to help coach us in this area, but for those looking for inspiration, I would suggest one brief reading, which highlights the importance of self-reflection and how to embed this in our way of working.
I stumbled upon the “Non-Profit AF blog” last year and often enjoy its posts on NGO management, fundraising, staff dynamics, and related topics – although some posts resonate more with me than others, given the US non-profit perspective of the blog author. A blog post from April echoes feelings that I think many of us have in our sector: a feeling of hopelessness that will knock at our door at one time or another. While easier said than done, I find his advice useful that “the more you care about the world, the more painful your work will be sometimes. Always remember that you make a difference, that your actions have ripple effects far beyond what you may ever be able to see or know.”
Aid agencies have a duty of care to respond to incidents of sexual violence against their staff. A recently published guide from the Global Interagency Security Forum aims to support aid agencies in preventing, being prepared for, and responding to incidents of sexual violence against their staff. It is intended as a good practice guide to help strengthen existing processes and support organisations as they set up their own protocols.
This article focuses on the monitoring and evaluation challenges related to organizations pursuing partnerships in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goal targets. It also touches on the talent agenda and the skills needed to manage these partnerships and conduct reviews and evaluation, where “dialogue and intentional listening,” “reflective practices,” and “story-telling” play key roles to unleash and achieve the “transformational potential of partnerships.”
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) recently published a report on the impact of AI and automation in UK workplaces. While the research focused on the UK and was not specific to our sector, it brings useful food for thought for all HR practitioners trying to understand the potential impact, challenges, and also the opportunities these developments bring to humanitarian organizations, and how HR professionals can play a central role in developing a long-term strategy that integrates workforce planning and people management with AI and automation; and then play an equally important role in managing the transformation involved.
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