HR PRACTITIONERS

PM Roles and Responsibilities

HR Practitioners are important performance management resources for staff, managers and heads of
departments. They include staff on HR teams in Executive Offices or other administrative offices. They have
an advisory role in performance management and can provide guidance on the PM policy, underperformance,
ePerformance requirements, learning options and more.

Their key PM roles and responsibilities are described below. 

Provide guidance
  • HR Practitioners should have strong knowledge of the performance management policy and be able to advise managers
    and staff on its application. They should be able to answer client queries about ePerformance cycle steps and deadlines, how
    to give and receive feedback in performance discussion and PM learning options and requirements.

    Senior HR staff should know how to advise SROs and FROs on dealing with conflict and underperformance on their teams
    and be familiar with the ePerformance rebuttal process.

Assist in monitoring compliance
  • HR teams should have a designated focal point that can assist senior managers in checking ePerformance compliance for their departments/offices/missions. ePerformance data is accessible in the HR Insight tool. Contact  performancemanagement@un.org
    with questions about getting access to this database (for HR practitioners only.)
Conduct training
  • Some HR practitioners have workshop facilitation experience and can deliver performance management training to their teams.
    OHRM has facilitator guides for the following programmes:

    • Performance Management and Development (overview programme required for all managers and supervisors)
    • Conducting the Mid-point Review
    • Addressing Performance Issues

Please contact performancemanagement@un.org for more information.

Communications and awareness-raising
  • In some departments, HR practitioners take on a communications role: they send reminder emails on behalf of senior managers
    about ePerformance requirements and deadlines and they help to publicize OHRM learning programmes.
Fulfill other PM roles
  • HR Practitioners also serve as staff members and may serve as First Reporting Officers (FROs) and Second Reporting Officers (SROs).

  • Be aware of the main PM roles and responsibilities associated with these roles on the staff member, FRO and the SRO pages.

 

Guidance and tips

 

The Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) is developing a series of facilitator toolkits for performance management workshops.  Training Officers or HR Practitioners with facilitation experiences can use them to deliver workshops on demand at their duty stations.

 

Toolkits for the following half-day workshops are ready at this time:

  • Getting Real Results from the Mid-Point Review
  • Addressing Performance Issues

Please email performancemanagement@un.org to access them.

 

Important documents: 
Performance Management and Development System (ST/AI/2010/5)
Explains the Organization’s policy and approach to performance management
Corrigendum 1 - Performance Management and Development System
Contains two updates to the performance management policy
Setting Challenging Performance Goals
A how-to guide for setting strong performance goals
SMART goals template
A form to use when creating goals
Personal development plan
Guidance on creating a learning and development plan
Giving and Receiving Feedback Guide
A guide on how to give and receive feedback
Mid-point Review Guide
A guide on best practices for conducting the mid-point review
End-of-cycle Evaluation Guide
A guide on best practices for conducting end-of-cycle evaluations
UN Competency Development – A Practical Guide
A guide designed to help staff members be strategic about their learning and development and to help managers in coaching and developing their teams
Inspira 9.2 e-Performance User Guide
A technical guide on using e-Performance
Lessons Learned from the Administration of Justice: A Guide for Managers
A report that presents rebuttal cases processed by the UN’s justice system and the related lessons learned for managers
Ratings guidelines
Guidance for rebuttal panel members when reviewing and processing cases
Annual evaluation form in Word
A Word version of the annual evaluation form
P.333 evaluation form for temporary appointment holders
An evaluation form to use for staff with temporary contracts
Other related links: 
Manager’s Toolkit
Guidance and self-study resources for UN managers
Learning and Development Policy (ST/SGB/2009/9)
Learn about the policy, including the 5 days of learning activities that staff must complete each year.