Managerial reform seeks to improve WHO’s ability to achieve the best possible results, by attracting and retaining the best talent and using the resources entrusted to the Organization in a more effective and efficient manner.
This includes a deep revision and alignment in areas such as: human resources, communications, finance, evaluation, accountability, and transparency and information management.
Feature stories on managerial reform
Key outcomes of management reform
Staffing matched to the needs at all levels of the Organization
WHO must attract, retain and develop talent at all levels of the Organization. To ensure that this talent is utilised to its full extent, the workforce must also be sufficiently mobile and be provided with an enabling environment.
Improved strategic communication
Reform of strategic communication is relevant to a range of circumstances. It must be ensured that WHO staff have access to the programmatic and organizational information they need. To the wider public, WHO must provide accurate, accessible, useable and timely health information. Effective communication in these cases showcases the manner and quality of WHO’s work to improve health. In situations of disease outbreak, public health emergencies and humanitarian crises, it is crucial that communication is quick, accurate and proactive.
Effective managerial accountability, transparency and risk management
Strengthening accountability through integrated and effective risk management and internal control is a key outcome of managerial reform. Accountability includes achieving results in response to the Organization’s mandate, timely and accurate reporting on performance and stewardship of funds.
Information managed as a strategic asset
Information management must be streamlined and standardised to become a strategic asset and to achieve a knowledge sharing culture across the entire organization. Information Communications Technology systems must create an enabling environment for information management. The reporting by Member States to WHO on national data must also be streamlined.
Institutionalised corporate culture of evaluation and learning
WHO champions and rewards learning from success and failure. Promoting this means an institutionalization of the evaluation function across the Organization, creating a culture which WHO has struggled to maintain in the past. Staff and programmes can therefore plan and use the results of evaluation to improve their work.