Red Cross working to change culture of internal recruitment process

To address staff complaints about lack of power over their working situation and to improve the accountability of both individuals and groups, the International Committee of the Red Cross has worked to overhaul its people management strategy. Here's where the group's at in that process.

By Julia Atiyeh // 25 November 2014

Feedback from employees working for the International Committee of the Red Cross showed a perceived lack of transparency in the recruitment process, with staff reporting they felt powerless over their working situation.

To solve the problem, the international humanitarian organization launched the People Management Project in 2013 with the objective to increase transparency, efficiency and employee empowerment by making refinements to the definitions of roles and responsibilities and the accountability of individuals and groups, as well as beefing up the organization’s internal communication systems.

Before the PMP, ICRC, which employs 13,000 people in more than 80 countries, conducted internal recruitment behind closed doors, coordinated mainly by its headquarters in Geneva.

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About the author

Julia Atiyeh
Julia Atiyeh is a Swedish-Syrian journalist. She has reported in English, Swedish and Arabic from Europe and Lebanon, and her love for traveling and global policy has allowed her to live in Scandinavia, New York and the Middle East.