FEDERATION OF INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVANTS’ ASSOCIATIONS
13 April 2015
To: Devex
Subject: FICSA reply to Devex article of 31 March 2015: FAO staff, management struggle to
reach compromise on reforms
We regret that the staff association and the staff union of FAO were not able to contribute
directly to a more balanced article; the Standards of Conduct for the International Civil
Service discourages the use of the media to air internal grievances. The Federation of
International Civil Servants’ Associations (FICSA), integrated by the staff associations/unions
of 27 UN agencies and representing over 22,000 UN staff worldwide, would like to make the
following points with consideration to the staff/management relations in FAO.
Good staff relations are a cornerstone to good management. When staff are consulted and
engaged in change management, the process of change can be smoother, solutions more
durable, and staff will take pride in their contribution to change. However, when the
administration imposes change without engagement, while pretending to know all the
answers, staff trust and motivation suffer significantly, and the change process falters and
risks failure.
FAO has been undergoing a practically continuous change process over the last ten years. For
the most part this has been smooth, up until the last few years. Despite certain statements,
there is a widespread feeling that the administration is not conducting any serious dialogue
with staff and that the latter are not engaged in the administration’s vision of change. Many
see only erratic administrative actions implemented without sufficient consultation or
reasoning, leading to ineffective, needlessly derogatory, and de-motivating dictates.
FICSA supports and will continue to encourage effective staff/management dialogue as the
best way to move forward, and are pleased to see that this dialogue has been re-opened at
FAO.
Yours faithfully,
Diab El-Tabari
President