The latest from the Indonesia Metrics Project Workshop

Once again, we had a great turnout with 6 of the 7 IWG agencies participating! We had a good discussion about some of the current HR challenges in Aceh, including:

• Lack of HR Planning: almost all HR Managers reported that their agencies were still stuck in a "reaction cycle" even though its almost 2 years after the tsunami. As one HR Advisor remarked: "I've spent more time being a fireman, than doing HR." And, similarly, on the importance of HR Planning, particularly in the initial stages of an emergency: "We don't go into an emergency without finance staff, so why do we go in without HR staff?"
  
• High turnover and short-term staff, both national and international, resulting in a "permanent learning stage." National staff are leaving for higher salaries with the UN and with other NGOs. Plus, after the emergency is over, its difficult for many staff to feel that their job has any "real value" if they aren't directly saving lives. In response, many agencies are trying to communicate more effectively about, and involve staff more directly in, their growing recovery programs.
  
• Other agencies are already starting to downsize and are providing redeployment and professional development opportunities whenever possible.
  
• And always... training and building staff capacity continues to be a major need!
  

All agreed that the Staff Capacity Metrics Project database will help "institutionalize" many of the "lessons learned"... (again and again.) And, it will also add a great deal to our ability to plan for future emergency staffing! Now, on with the data collection and input!

Julia Devin