In 2021, the United Nations embarked on a transformative journey to revolutionize its performance management system. This journey, marked by continuous improvement, accountability, and empowerment, has seen significant milestones and innovations aimed at strengthening the performance management process, putting the focus on having more and more meaningful performance conversations.
The performance management journey began in April 2021 with the launch of the agile performance management approach. This initiative aimed to streamline processes, enhance managerial accountability and foster meaningful dialogue. By August 2021, a new performance management policy was introduced, providing a robust framework to support this agile approach.
An agile approach to performance management
The agile performance management approach represents a significant shift from a compliance-based process to a culture of accountability and empowerment. This approach emphasizes:
• Ongoing and meaningful conversations: regular discussions on goals and progress, focusing on growth, learning, and improvement.
• Two-way feedback: encouraging upward feedback from staff to managers to enhance people management.
• Human-centered approach: prioritizing development, recognition, coaching, and forward-looking conversations.
This shift requires a change in mindset, recognizing performance management as a tool to help deliver on the UN’s mandate. Managers are seen as enablers of talent, while staff take ownership of their performance, with a greater focus on team dynamics.
Perceptions on performance management
Positive trends have been observed in staff perceptions of performance management and managerial effectiveness, as evidenced by the 2019 and 2021 Staff Engagement Surveys:
• Clarity of expectations: increased from 70 points in 2019 to 76 points in 2021.
• Fair evaluation: improved from 71 points in 2019 to 78 points in 2021.
• Ongoing feedback: rose from 59 points in 2019 to 61 points in 2021.
• Managerial action: increased from 61 points in 2019 to 69 points in 2021.
• Link to goals: enhanced from 79 points in 2019 to 89 points in 2021.
These improvements highlight the effectiveness of the agile approach in fostering a more transparent and supportive performance management culture.
People Management Index (PMI)
A key innovation in the new approach is the People Management Index (PMI), which incorporates 360-degree feedback into the performance review process. This index measures effective people management through 12 custom-designed items, providing managers with valuable insights and fostering accountability.
During the 2023-2024 cycle, over 4,200 managers participated in the PMI, receiving an overall average rating of 3.51 from their teams. This feedback is instrumental in guiding managers to improve their leadership and management practices.
Values and behaviors in managing performance
Raising awareness of values and behaviors is crucial for effective performance management. Initiatives like the LIDERA community workshops promote good practices and inspire managers to adopt a human-centered approach. These workshops provide a platform for managers to share experiences and learn from each other, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Managerial accountability
Ensuring the timely completion of performance evaluations and work plans is essential for maintaining managerial accountability. Heads of entities and local HR offices are encouraged to monitor the performance accountability of their staff to support the timely creation of performance documents. This proactive approach helps address performance issues early and reduces the burden of potential disciplinary actions. The ePerformance Monitoring Compliance tool significantly enhances the data quality and HR user experience.
It includes:
• Tracking of ePerformance status throughout the performance cycle.
• Annual snapshots of ePerformance compliance, enabling better tracking of progress over time.
• Visibility of staff active in the PMI.
Continued improvements
The introduction of a rebuttal module on Inspira will facilitate transparent review processes and ease the selection of panel members. This feature, expected to be ready for testing by Q1 2025, will further enhance the fairness and transparency of the performance management system.
The United Nations’ agile performance management journey is a testament to our commitment to fostering a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and empowerment. By embracing these changes, we are better equipped to deliver on our mission and support the growth and development of our staff. This journey is not just about improving processes; it’s about creating an environment where every staff member feels valued, heard, and empowered to contribute to the UN’s mission. Together, we are building a stronger, more effective organization, ready to meet the challenges of the future.