Career Support Programmes

In 2021, the Office of Human Resources developed a new Framework that depicts the overall vision of career opportunities for our staff, lays out the accountability structure that underpins our career journeys, and provides information about the career support available and outlines the way ahead. The vision of the United Nations Secretariat in supporting staff’s pursuit of career satisfaction is holistic and multifaceted. There are several broad factors that drive it.

People spend about a third of their lives at work, over 75,000 hours in a lifetime. This is why professional satisfaction matters. When we joined the United Nations Secretariat, we chose to contribute to changing the lives of the peoples of the world for the better. The world looks to our Organization for solutions to global problems. From ending conflict and alleviating poverty, to combating climate change and defending human rights, the issues on our agenda are manifold. Professional satisfaction means feeling proud, valued and engaged. For most of us, this emerges from the meaningful content of our jobs in the most prestigious inter-governmental organization in the world. For some, it is linked to the connections we build within our team and broader networks. Yet for others, satisfaction comes from experiencing the variety and richness of organizational mandates and duty stations, while occasionally moving up the organizational hierarchy. For most of us, it is the combination of all these factors.

GO2UN is a comprehensive induction programme for UN Secretariat personnel to encourage and enable us to support our newest colleagues well. To learn more about this award-winning programme and see sample content, check out the Orientation Hub.

All levels of staff from all job networks can find a mentor or serve as one in this programme. Whether through guidance, new skills, or career advice, mentorship is the key to unlocking anybody’s full potential.

• A mentor can provide invaluable insights, help navigate challenges, and open doors to opportunities.
• Becoming a mentor is a rewarding way to give back, shape the next generation of professionals, and refine one’s own leadership skills in the process.

Reverse mentoring flips the traditional mentoring model on its head, encouraging a dynamic exchange of knowledge between junior and senior staff. Younger professionals bring fresh perspectives, tech-savviness, and insights into emerging trends, while seasoned team members offer invaluable experience, industry expertise, and leadership wisdom. This powerful two-way exchange bridges generations, enhancing collaboration and understanding across the board.

Peer-to-peer coaching is a collaborative learning approach where employees support each other’s development through shared insights, constructive feedback, and problem-solving. Unlike traditional coaching, it relies on colleagues rather than managers or external coaches, creating a culture of mutual learning.

For employees, this method builds confidence, enhances communication and leadership skills, strengthens workplace relationships, and fosters greater engagement. It offers personalized support from those who truly understand their challenges, making professional growth more relevant and effective.

Creating pathways for career progression for neurodivergent employees involves intentional strategies that support their unique strengths and needs.

Career progression at the United Nations Secretariat for neurodivergent staff is not just about meeting quotas or fulfilling compliance requirements; it’s about creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. By implementing personalized development plans, mentorship programs, skill-building workshops, and recognizing achievements, the Organization wants to empower these employees to advance in their careers. We aim to cultivate a workplace where all individuals feel they can reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to our collective success.

Staff voted, and the message is clear: having a respectful UN workplace is critical, and United to Respect is making a positive difference.

On 15 February 2022, the Secretary-General launched the Strategic Action Plan on Addressing Racism and Promoting Dignity for All in the United Nations Secretariat. The Strategic Action Plan presents a road map for our common effort to build a dignified and inclusive workplace, address racism, and ensure accountability.

The United Nations is committed to leading by example and ensuring that our workplaces are free of racism, discrimination, indignity, harassment, and fear. Together, let us ensure that the values enshrined in our Charter are made real around the world, starting in our workplaces by rooting out racism and ensuring accountability for racist behaviour.

Self-directed learning programmes include thousands of options across LinkedIn Learning, the Blue Line programmes, or the UN System Staff College.

All staff have free access to online libraries that include thousands of video-based courses on a full range of topics, now more than ever targeting the future of work and skills needed that enable the Secretariat’s workforce to be UN 2.0 - ready. See more details in the Learning tile on this website.

The Sabbatical Leave Programme offers staff the chance to pursue research of their choice for up to four months.

Every last Thursday of the month, join us at the Career Tips Thursday. Learning experts from the UN System will deliver an interactive 1-hour session on different career-related topics, designed to provide tips, guidance and insights for your career and professional development.

The sessions, that are all recorded and available on demand, are as wide-ranging as looking for jobs, managing a career, mapping skills, competencies and strengths, understanding values and motivators, over preparing for interviews, networking, managing reputation and personal brand, to personal career satisfaction, boosting a career, and thinking of well-being.

This online center includes also worksheets for each recording, an event livestream recording, My Journey videos, and additional resources such as information about Pay and Benefits in the UN System, a Salary Estimation tool , and links to a variety of online job boards!

Listen to stories and perspectives of UN colleagues from across the globe on Spotify or Medium. Catch a glimpse of their lives and work experiences while learning more about how the UN workforce and individuals in their career journeys make a difference in the world.

LIDERA is a peer-to-peer learning space open to all staff, at any category and level, who wish to develop their leadership skills and contribute to creating a transformational and more sustainable organizational culture aligned with the UN Values and Behaviours.

Leadership is not for only a few individuals based on their formal role in the organization, but a collective calling for each and every one of us. All staff can collaborate in LIDERA and share knowledge, tips and good practices while helping each other solve daily leadership challenges.

We believe that taking control of your career development is essential for long-term growth and success. One of the most impactful ways to do this is by having proactive and thoughtful career conversations, possibly within the context of performance conversations, but also independently of that process.

The UN is seeking to establish a culture of accountability and empowerment built on ongoing and meaningful performance conversations to help the UN to better deliver on its mission. Effective performance management is a continuous, holistic approach to engage everyone in a collaborative and agile process, to improve Staff Members and their performance in line with the Organization’s objectives.

When we talk about mobility in the UN, we usually mean geographical mobility – serving in different countries and duty stations throughout our careers in the UN. Geographical mobility provides us with opportunities to work in different locations, broaden our experience and acquire new knowledge and skills. Through mobility, we can become better international civil servants and enrich our career, leading to greater job satisfaction.

On a broader level, mobility supports the vision of a more agile Organization outlined in the People Strategy 2021-2025.

Disability Inclusion refers to the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in all their diversity, the promotion and mainstreaming of their rights into the work of the Organization, the development of disability-specific programmes and consideration of disability-related perspectives, in compliance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

To promote an inclusive workplace, we are:

• Driving culture change through our Values and Behaviours;
• Enhancing flexibility via our Flexible Work Practices;
• Integrating disability inclusion into our policies and programs;
• Building capacity and raising awareness;
• Offering Reasonable Accommodation;
• Enhancing accessibility of our spaces, communication, and information technology; and
• Combating bias, stigma, and discrimination.

The United Nations System Mental Health and Well-being Strategy for 2024and beyond is designed to assist the United Nations in creating a working environment that is conducive to good mental health and that ensures that support is available when it is needed. The Strategy provides a road map for creating an inclusive, sustainable work environment where mental health and well-being is embedded in the organizational culture and systems – where each and every one belongs, is valued, nurtured and thrives, ensuring an efficient workforce delivering on our promise of a better world.

The UN System Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy is a comprehensive approach to address the needs of the United Nations personnel and improve organizational capacities to prevent poor mental health and protect and promote good mental health and well-being. It was launched by the Secretary General and endorsed by the heads of management of all UN system organizations and applies to the whole of the UN system.

UN personnel who need help, may have to access an internal UN Staff/Stress Counsellors. These Counsellors are mental health professionals who work for the Organization to offer confidential support to UN personnel as needed. UN Secretary-General's message: launch of Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being online programme

Leaders and managers play an essential role in ensuring that the UN System supports good mental health. This includes creating a positive work environment and supporting personnel who are experiencing a mental health condition.