10 WHO's staff development and learning programme aims to improve the capability of staff to contribute to the achieved of the expected results of the organization. The organization invests 2% of staff salary costs in the Global Staff Development Fund to fund staff development and learning activities globally, and has set a benchmark of staff dedicating 5% of their time learning.
20 This section establishes the administrative policies and procedures required to implement Staff Regulation
5.1 and Staff Rules
520 and
650.
30 Upon entering the service of the Organization, briefing on:
- the staff member's duties is the responsibility of the supervisor;
- the staff member's conditions of employment is the responsibility of the appropriate Human Resources focal point (or Administrative Assistant) at headquarters, Regional Human Resources Manager in the regions or Administrative Officer in country offices; or
- the relevant administrative arrangements pertaining to the duty station are the responsibility of the OSS Service Desk at headquarters or the Administrative Officer in a regional or country office.
40 New staff induction and other staff learning and development activities are the responsibility of the Career Development and Learning (CDL) in Headquarters and the organizational unit responsible for staff development in the regional offices.
50 Introductory briefing courses for all newly-recruited staff for all categories of staff are held regularly at headquarters and regional offices to give new staff an understanding of the history, policies, programme and structure of the Organization, and managerial and administrative practices and procedures.
60 All professional staff appointed to field, regional office or headquarters posts in the Organization are briefed before taking up their duties. Regional and field staff may be briefed both at headquarters and in their regional office based on needs, and field staff also receive local briefing in the country of assignment.
70 For WHO representatives, who represent the organization as a whole, briefing is a joint responsibility of headquarters and the respective regional office.
80 The office which recruits the new staff member (headquarters or regional office) is responsible for providing the staff member, before departure from the country of residence, with the post report and any other available information about living conditions in the country of assignment and other background documents or reading suggestions.
90 Briefing at headquarters is given both in group sessions and individually. CDL establishes the yearly schedule of group briefing sessions and informs regional offices of the dates so that the newly-recruited regional and field staff may, at the discretion of the regional director, report to headquarters in time to attend a complete group briefing session. This group briefing may be complemented by individual briefings in Headquarters.
100 The headquarters and the regional office unit responsible for the new staff member's professional field of work gives briefing on WHO policy in this field, current and future programmes, present status of activity or programme to which the staff member has been appointed, relationships with other agencies in the programme area, etc. The unit also arranges briefing with other related technical programmes.
110 The Regional Director ensures that briefing at the regional office covers the following subjects:
- functions and structure of the regional office, geographical scope of region;
- relationships and communications with headquarters, WHO representatives, field staff, Member Governments, other agencies and partners;
- social, economic, political, cultural and public health data on the country of assignment;
- detailed briefing on project or activity; information on other projects or activities in the country of assignment;
- ethical principles and conduct of WHO staff, and
- managerial and administrative practices and procedures of the organization.
120 On the arrival of new staff members in the country of assignment, the responsible WHO representative gives them information on local conditions, culture, customs, protocol and on any other matters concerning their work in that country.
Staff development
130 Supervisors are responsible for a formal evaluation of the performance, conduct and development potential of staff members under their supervision. The staff member's responsibility is to actively participate in identifying developmental needs and completing developmental activities. A plan on developmental activities will be agreed to and implementation reviewed in discussion between staff member and supervisor.
140 All staff should have access to information on staff development and learning resources and activities available to them.
150 Staff development and learning may take the form of:
- learning programme organized internally by the organization;
- learning programme organized by external institution; or
- developmental work assignments or field work.
160 Arrangements for in-service training within a region are normally made by the regional office concerned.
170 In-service training for periods of not more than sixty days is authorized by the regional director or the assistant director-general after clearance by CDL. In-service training for periods of more than sixty days is considered as refresher training or study leave and must be approved by the Director-General.
180 Any travel required for attending staff development and learning activities organized by the organization is subject to the prevailing rules and procedures of duty travel.
Global Learning Committee
182 The Global Learning Committee (GLC) guides and oversees staff learning and development in WHO. It aligns learning and development with the strategic directions and priorities of the Organization.
184 The GLC establishes policies for the use of the Staff Development Fund (SDF) and makes decisions on the allocation of resources in accordance with the strategic direction of the Organization. SDF are allocated according to the learning priorities agreed by the GLC each biennium. Applications are submitted to the GLC for consideration as part of a Major Office or Global Learning Plan.
186 The GLC oversees the accountability for the investment of time and funds by monitoring progress and evaluating the impact of learning.
188 The Standard Operating Procedure showing the timelines for submissions for each biennium is available through the CDL learning site.
190 In order to ensure that staff are able to perform their current, and potential future role in the Organization, to the maximum of their ability, the Organization, subject to the conditions outlined below, facilitates the acquisition of language skills in:
- official languages of the organization;
- official working languages of the duty station; or
- the language of the country of assignment, or in another working language required for official communications.
200 Staff should have access to information on opportunities to improve their language skills . Training can be offered in a variety of forms - group classes, distance or on-line learning, or through external institutions and instructors offering language training in staff member's duty station. Individual tuition may be approved in exceptional circumstances and for limited periods.
210 The Organization will provide financial support to acquire proficiency (deemed equivalent to the UN language proficiency) in a language. This is normally limited to a total of 500 hours per student for group classes and similar arrangements. Authorization to continue language studies is always subject to evidence of satisfactory progress made, which has to be provided at intervals of one year or less.
220 WHO will provide financial support for studies in only one language at a time. Study of a second language may be approved upon satisfactory completion of the programme in a first language.
230 In offices where group classes are not practicable, staff members may, subject to the prior approval of the regional director (or head of office in the case of HQ out-posted offices), make their own arrangements for instruction.
240 Staff members attending individual instruction need to present claims to the authorizing office with receipts for the payments that they have made to their instructor or institution . Such expenses are treated as a Miscellaneous expense and charged to general operating expenses. A statement from the instructor or institution on satisfactory attendance and progress should be attached. The authority for payment should be attached to the first claim. Applications for reimbursement of fees should be made within 3 months of completion of training or if instruction extends beyond 12 months a yearly claim is required.
Special leave of absence for training or research
250 The Director-General may under Staff Rule 650 grant special leave of absence for training or research designed to increase a staff member's usefulness and contribution to the programme needs of the Organization.
260 Regional directors, assistant directors-general may recommend candidates for this special leave extending beyond sixty days. The criteria for determining whether or not a recommendation should be made are the staff members' need for training or research in so far as this accords with the prospective needs of the Organization, their past and present performance of their duties and their potential for future development in the Organization. Staff members may also initiate an application for this special leave through their supervisor. All candidates for this special leave should have served the Organization satisfactorily for at least two years. Satisfactory service is defined as the staff member's last two performance appraisals showing, at the minimum, that most objectives have been met.
270 Proposals for special leave of absence are submitted to Director, CDL, through the RD or ADG and should have been thoroughly discussed between the staff member and the supervisor and should include the comments of the supervisor and of the regional director or assistant director-general concerned. Decisions on recommendations are made by the Director-General in the light of comments made by CDL.
280 Staff members on special leave for training or research are required to submit regular progress reports to their supervisor and to CDL which monitors use of special leave of absence for training and research for review by the Global Learning Council.
290 Staff members who are granted special leave by the Director-General are free to decline the privilege up to three months before the beginning of their studies. After that date they may be required to reimburse the Organization for any advance fees or registration costs that may have been incurred on their behalf.
300 Staff members who are granted special leave with full or partial pay for a period of nine months or more must agree to return to the service of the Organization for at least three years after the completion of the training or research, provided that their services are required for that period.
Salary and Allowances
310 Special leave for training or research in the interest of the Organization may be granted with full pay and allowances, with partial pay or without pay by mutual agreement between the Organization and the staff member, depending on the degree of relevance of the training or research to the staff member's present or future functions. When granted with full pay, the pay and allowances to which staff members are entitled are those applicable to their duty station if the special leave is for less than nine months. If the special leave is to continue for nine months or more, the place of study is designated as the duty station of the staff member for the duration of the leave and the staff member receives the applicable entitlements.
320 If special leave with partial pay is granted, the staff member continues to receive dependants' allowances and the education grant at the full rate, but post adjustment and the assignment allowance (for general service staff, the non-resident's and language allowances) are paid at the same partial rate as the salary. Pension and insurance contributions continue to be made at the full rate by the Organization and the staff member.
330 When a staff member goes on special leave without pay, dependants' allowances and the education grant are paid at the full rate and the Organization continues to make its full contributions to the Pension Fund and to the insurance schemes.
340 Except for short ad hoc or group training courses and for language training, absence for the purpose of training or research is normally charged to annual leave until the staff member's accrued annual leave has been exhausted and thereafter to special leave under Staff Rule 650. For staff members for whom special leave is approved the requirement of the first sentence of Staff Rule 630.5 may be waived in respect of carry-over of leave from the year of application to the year of commencement of the special leave.
350 The Organization assumes the cost of the staff member's travel to the place(s) of training and back to the official station under the prevailing provisions for statutory travel. This travel should, if possible, be combined with home leave or duty travel. The travel of dependants to the place of study may be authorized under home leave or education grant travel, if applicable, or, if the training period is for nine months or more, under change of duty station. The baggage allowance is that applicable to the type of travel authorized.
Per diem Allowance and Stipend
360 A staff member granted special leave financed by the Organization receives a per diem allowance during outward travel to the place of study and return travel from that place on the completion of the training or research. Per diem is also paid throughout a period of special leave away from the duty station if this period does not exceed one month.
370 For periods of special leave away from the duty station of more than one month and less than nine months, staff members are paid a fellowship stipend. Payment of the stipend begins on the date staff members take up their studies and end on the day after the course officially closes. For the first month payment is made at the travel rate for the area and thereafter at the resident rate. During sick leave, the provisions that apply to the payment of the per diem allowance also apply to payment of the stipend.
380 For periods of special leave lasting for nine months or more, no stipend is paid if the staff member is receiving full pay. If the staff member is receiving partial pay or no pay, a stipend may be authorized.
Training or Research financed by Outside Sources
390 Awards of fellowships to staff members by outside sources are normally made as a result of negotiations between the Director-General and the source in question. It may be, however, that a staff member is aware that they would be favourably considered for a fellowship by some institution if the support of the Organization for their application were assured. In such cases the procedure for obtaining the Director-General's approval for the special leave must have been received before any approach is made to the institution offering the fellowship. The approach is then made officially by the Director-General. In no circumstances may staff members use the name of WHO to obtain a fellowship for themselves before they have been notified that special leave will be granted to them.
400 If a fellowship is awarded to a staff member by an institution, the stipend and other expenses paid to them depend entirely upon the practice of that institution, and all arrangements for entry to a school or course are made by the staff member in direct correspondence with the institution offering the fellowship.
5% Staff Development Study Leave
410 The 5% principle was formulated by the UN Learning Managers Forum (Organization Learning Framework - OLF) in 2004 and again reinforced by the WHO Global Learning Committee (GLC) paper "Developing staff through learning" (January 2006) in order to ensure WHO is a “learning organization”.
420 Staff are encouraged to use 5% of time on developmental activities. The staff member and supervisor agree to the optimum use of this time during the ePMDS discussions.
430 The 5% staff development principle may be considered as 10 days/80 hours per year dedicated to staff learning both internally and externally. The 5% principle applies to part-time staff in the same proportion as the working schedule bears to that of a regular full-time staff member.
435 The staff member and supervisor agree to the optimum use of this time. The discussion takes place during the ePMDS discussions.
440 The development plan is signed by both the staff member and the supervisor as part of the ePMDS process.
445 Should the staff member's development plan require external study, they may request study leave under the 5% staff development principle. This type of study leave with full-pay and allowances may be taken in units of days and half days based on the staff member's work percentage (full-time or part-time).
450 To be eligible, the staff member has to have served the Organization satisfactorily for at least one year of uninterrupted service in an active current appointment when the study leave commences and hold a contract of at least 6 months beyond the date of return from study leave. Staff members holding a temporary contract are eligible to apply if they have completed 24 months of uninterrupted service within the last 36 months and are still on a temporary contract of at least 6 months beyond the date of return from study leave. The criteria for determining whether or not a recommendation should be made for study leave are the staff members' need for staff development in so far as this accords with their current and prospective position and duties, past and present performance of their duties and the current needs of their team/department. The supervisor would also need to take into consideration the time required for other learning activities agreed in the development plan.
455 Time off for this purpose is subject to the exigencies of the service. All agreements regarding 5% of time for external study must be made in advance. Any changes in the exigencies of the service would override the agreement, and are at the sole discretion of the supervisor. Supervisors are however requested to consider the investment by the organization and the best interests of the staff member in completing the course of study.
Requesting 5% Study Leave with full pay
460 The staff member requests 5% Staff Development Study Leave via a written request to the Director HRT (HQ) or
RHRM (Regions), through the first- and second-level supervisor. The written request must include details of the course content, as well as the length of study, amount of time of study leave sought and, where possible, confirmation of registration from the place of study.
465 All applications for Study Leave (5% Staff Development) must be submitted at least two months in advance to allow appropriate time for consideration. Applications for retroactive study leave will not be accepted.
470 On approving the written request, the first-level supervisor must complete, sign and attach to the written request,
the 5% Staff Development Study Leave Checklist.
475 On approval of requested study leave, the staff member will receive written confirmation from Director, HRT (HQ) or
RHRM (Regions).
480
The staff member must then initiate a leave request via online system, through Special Leave/Study & Research, indicating with full pay and attaching a scanned copy of the written approval to the leave request.
485 The 5% Staff Development principle does not allow the carry-over of study leave days from one year to the next.
490 Staff members who are granted study leave under the 5% principle must have a contract of at least 6 months beyond the date of return from study leave.
495 A staff member continues to accrue all service credits while on study leave (5% Staff Development).
500 For study leave under the 5% principle, staff members are not required to exhaust accrued annual leave prior to proceeding on study leave. However, in case study leave exceeds the allowed time off under the 5% principle, the use of annual leave may be required in order for the full period to be approved.
505 If the Director-General is unable to grant special leave to a staff member, either at the Organization's expense or through recommendation to an institution for a fellowship, it is open to the staff member to apply for special leave without pay under Staff Rule
650.
Final Provisions
510 Please contact your HR Business Partner HQ/Regional HR Manager or your local training officer for guidance on briefing and training.
515 Regional staff should also consult their local training officer.
