Career development
Coordinator
Séverine Deboos
Member
Patrick Daru
Coordinator: Séverine Deboos
Member: Patrick Daru
Personal promotions and reclassification
Objectives:
- To ensure that the personal promotion machinery is transparent and equitable. Push for clarification regarding the eligibility of staff who are being unlawfully excluded from the exercise, such as colleagues in the ILO Administrative Tribunal, former precarious colleagues, and all others who, according to the applicable rules and GB decisions should be eligible.
- To ensure that the global reclassification exercise in the field is launched without further delay and Independent Review Groups are established and active in the field for the examination of job grade review appeals.
Means of action
- Participating in the joint committee on personal promotions, and legal action where appropriate;
- Ensuring that the implementation of the reclassification exercise in the field provides equal opportunities for all;
- Assisting the JNC when needed.
Training policy and performance management
Objectives:
- To ensure that staff concerns are taken into account in ILO training and in the performance management system of the ILO;
- To ensure that training and performance management policies are implemented in a fair and transparent manner, including through a review of the Reports Board procedures;
- To promote career development through the training policy;
- To ensure that the implementation of the new job descriptions in the field is fair to all staff;
- To ensure that the review and implementation of job descriptions in Headquarters is fair to all staff; and
- To ensure that the skills-mapping exercise does not impact the PMF and promotes adequate use of the staff development funds.
Means of action
Training policy
Framing the priorities to be implemented by the training policy in line with the needs of staff at all levels and categories in an equitable manner, to support mobility and career development, in the framework of the JNC;
- Seeking the reactivation of the Joint Training Council so that the Staff Union has a voice in the use of Staff Development Funds, the impact of training expenditure and the assessment of how proposed training programmes satisfy staff members’ needs and requests, especially in a mobility context.
Performance management
- Taking into account the staff’s concerns regarding the implementation of the performance management framework (PMF);
- Ensuring that the PMF supports the career progression of staff.
How do personal promotions work ?
What is it ?
- The Personal promotion is a change in grade within the category (GS, NPO, or P) – based on record of service (1)
- It can apply only once during an offîcial’s career
- Two possible tracks:
First track:
Service in the current grade has been especially meritorious (limited to a quota of 5% of established RB posts)
Second track:
Service in the current grade has been satisfactory
How to find more information?
- Staff régulation – article 6.8.2
- Office procedure – IGDS Number 125, 2009
To whom does the first track apply ?
- GS. NPO and P categories
- Not in the highest grade in their category
- On a contract financed from the Regular Budget
- 13 years of service at the ILO in the current grade (2)
- Ps should hâve served in at least one duty station other than Geneva (3)
To whom does the second track apply?
- GS, NPO and P categories
- Not in the highest grade in their category
- On a contract financed from the Regular Budget
- 25 years of service at the ILO, the United Nations, or another specialized agency, including at least 13 years in their current grade
How does it work?
First track
Second track
DG sets the quota for
GS, and the quota for
NPO and P (4)
HRD draws up a list of eligible officiais who meet the contractual and seniority requirements as at 31 December of the previous year
The draft list is broadcasted and if eligible to both tracks. officiais décidé to apply to both, or to the second track only
Official and Responsible
Chief fill dedicated form
JNC panels to check eligibility and assess merit of the first track candidates, then of the second track (5)
or
DG examines the recommendations and decides
(1) It does not change the grade of the occupied post in the Programme and Budget.
(2) Including secondment in another UN agency. Accelerated rate of accumulation applies for officiais aged 59-65, and service in different duty stations (1 years counts for 18 months).
(3) Exceptions may be decided by the DG/JNC.
(4) Each year. in proportion to the number of staff employed in regular budget posts in these two category groups.
(5)One joint panel is installed for GSs and another one for NPOs and Ps.
HRD informs the official through the Responsible Chief (with a short explanation in case of refusai)
(6) For the first track, the merit is comparative: only the most deserving candidate of the year will be awarded a Personal promotion.
Training Policy
Objectives:
- To ensure that staff concerns are taken into account in the ILO training policy in the current environment of funding cuts, and in the performance management system of the ILO;
- To ensure that training and performance management policies are implemented in a fair and transparent manner, including a review of the Reports Board;
- To promote career development through the training policy;
- To promote transparency in merit increments so that it reflects performance evaluation results;
- To ensure that the implementation of the new job descriptions in the field is fair to all staff; and
- To ensure that the proposed review of job descriptions in headquarters is fair to all staff.
Means of action:
Training policy:
- Implementing the training policy in line with the needs of staff at all levels and categories in an equitable manner, in the context of the JNC
- Participating in the Joint Training Council so that the Staff Union has a voice in the use of staff development funds, the impact of training expenditure and the assessment of how proposed training programmes satisfy staff members’ needs and requests
Performance management:
- Addressing the staff’s concerns regarding the implementation of the performance management system and assessing how the introduction of a new cycle has responded to staff needs
- Ensuring that the PMF supports the career progression of staff; and
- Negotiating improvements through the
Titularization and Personal Promotions
The Staff Union is determined that the two processes should remain a permanent feature of the Organization because, failing any better system, they are today the only way to guarantee the staff’s career development and long-term security in employment.
As with the merit increment exercise, Personal Promotions were deliberately designed to respond to the ILO’s unique structure, whereby many locally-recruited staff, in particular in field offices, have limited opportunities for promotion.
The recognition afforded by merit increments and personal promotions are valued by the staff, and while improvements can be made regarding the procedures for awarding them and for extending them to TC staff, the Union will ensure that the policies themselves continue to serve the purpose for which they were intended.
As a member of the two joint bodies, the Staff Union will do everything to ensure that the machinery that is eventually introduced is even more transparent and equitable.
It will push for clarification regarding the eligibility of PSI staff (who are being unlawfully excluded from the exercise), colleagues in the Tribunal, former precarious colleagues, and all others who, according to the applicable rules and GB decisions should be eligible.
It is time the “ONE ILO” slogan was applied in practice.
Recent News
Bulletin No 1609 – Labour Day 2025: UN staff rally in Geneva
Please note that Staff Union Bulletin No. 1609 on the above mentioned subject can be consulted here: Bulletin 1609.
Bulletin 1608 – Review of recent events
Please note that Staff Union Bulletin No. 1608 on the above mentioned subject can be consulted here: Bulletin 1608.
