Administrative efficiency or investment in well-being?
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As a Researcher and Fellow, I am increasingly reflecting on the critical role of Administration and Human Resource Management in shaping the efficiency and impact of our work. Beyond processes and policies, HR is about nurturing talent, fostering diversity, and creating an enabling environment for innovation.
Yet, a key question remains: how can international organizations like UNECA balance the need for efficiency with the imperative to invest in people’s growth and well-being?
I would love to hear thoughts and experiences from colleagues and peers: what innovative HR practices have you seen that truly empower teams and enhance institutional performance?
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I think scouting for talent beyond resume, and limiting complete reliance on AI to sieve talent during recruitment.
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SOUMTANG BIME Valentine, Cameroon, DES-P , very interesting, I would argue that these issues are interdependent and they complement each other. Efficient organizations are productive which helps them achieve their vision. Also it is only empowered personnel in terms of skills, capabilities and competencies and overall well being, who are able to sustain high levels of efficiency.
One thing is for sure, organizations, public and private are all digitalizing due to the efficiency associated with it. Given the need to have personnel with technical digital skills, some HR in some organizations are offering in-house training programmes (cost-saving mechanism) to equip their staff with these skills, thereby improving their personnel capacity and enhancing their efficiency without the need to hire new staff. ECA is already doing that, I think they are already offering a Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for Economists and Statisticians. I think this is pretty commendable -
BIRIKA Naomi,Kenya,RITD That’s a valid point. AI can optimize efficiency, but over-reliance risks filtering out diverse talent. Combining tech with human evaluation helps preserve nuance and equity in recruitment.
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I agree with SYAHUKA Hilda, Uganda, DOA on the recruitment. When AI is involved, it becomes an issue of recruiting who has more information about the recruitment process than who actually has the skills. This has dire consequences on inequality - because information access is correlated with poverty levels for sure.
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SOUMTANG BIME Valentine, Cameroon, DES-P That’s a very timely question. From my experience, private sector HR often pushes innovation faster because of market competition you see practices like flexible work models, strong reward systems, career mobility, and continuous upskilling. International organizations, meanwhile, tend to emphasize compliance, stability, and process integrity, which sometimes slows down innovation but ensures fairness and accountability.
The real value lies in blending the two: adopting the private sector’s agility (career pathways, recognition, people analytics) while leveraging the international organization’s strengths in diversity and mission-driven culture. When HR is positioned as a driver of capability, not just process, it creates both efficiency and an environment where people can thrive.
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CHIGARU Farai, Malawi, SRO-WA Excellent point. This calls for stronger policies and safeguards to ensure AI in recruitment is not only efficient but also equitable, especially for vulnerable groups with limited access to information.
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ABNER Martha,Namibia,DES-PS Great! The private sector drives HR innovation faster with agility in work models, rewards, and upskilling, while international organizations ensure fairness and accountability through compliance and stability. The real value comes from blending both agility with mission-driven culture to make HR a driver of capability and thriving workplaces.
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SOUMTANG BIME Valentine, Cameroon, DES-P, your feedback underscores a significant paradox confronting many international organizations: how to remain efficient while investing heavily in the development and well-being of people. To strike the right balance between operational efficiency and investment in employee well-being, flexible work modalities (e.g., remote work and flexible hours) should be developed based on 'work outcomes' rather than inflexible presence requirements. This flexibility helps them to achieve a better work-life balance, decreases stress, and increases motivation. On the other hand, it's crucial that mental health and wellness support avenues, such as counseling sessions or stress-relieving workshops, are made available and workload managed to achieve this. When you build a culture where kindness and support are appreciated, teams themselves become more resilient and can deliver sustainable performance. Combining agile work modes with a strong well-being policy therefore also boosts engagement, creativity, and team effectiveness, while satisfying employees' legitimate expectations of quality of work life.
