Navigating the UN: Ensuring Smooth Onboarding and Transition

By Carolina Lessa C. de Souza, Communications Officer, RSCE

Joining a new organization, especially one as vast and impactful as the United Nations (UN), can be a transformative journey. Often, individuals leave their homelands and loved ones behind to play their part in serving the global community and advancing peace efforts. With this significant step, come numerous questions and uncertainties that demand the right answers.

For those embarking on this remarkable path and entering the UN’s dynamic world, the onboarding process can be a source of both excitement and anxiety. Before touching down in their new duty station, candidates may grapple with doubts about the security of their UN career. Will their journey with the UN be as promising and progressive as they hope? These concerns are perfectly natural for newcomers.

The Regional Service Centre Entebbe’s Onboarding and Separation Service Line (OSSL) stands as the vital gateway for individuals joining one of the 17 UN peacekeeping or political missions across Africa. Comprising a dedicated team of 18 staff members, OSSL holds the responsibility of issuing appointment letters, facilitating candidates’ travel arrangements to their designated duty stations and processing off cycle payments.

Joanna Remzi, an Administrative Officer at RSCE, who journeyed all the way from England to Entebbe, Uganda, shared her sentiments about the experience, stating, “It was a nice feeling to receive confirmation of selection and embark on a new chapter. Any change can be somewhat anxiety-inducing, especially when it involves relocating continents. However, the OSSL and HR teams proved to be efficient, responsive, and proactive, ensuring that everything went smoothly without incident.”

For Theresa Aciro, a Finance Assistant at RSCE, securing a job at the UN was indeed a moment of great relief. Nonetheless, the prolonged onboarding process had left her feeling like she was enlisting in a military camp, as she vividly recalls.

Beyond the administrative tasks of issuing documents and granting approvals, OSSL staff plays a pivotal role in providing accurate and timely information to new hires, ensuring a seamless onboarding experience. According to Uchenna Okoduwa, OSSL manager, the journey from receiving the confirmation letter to joining the mission typically spans an average of 50 to 60 days.

Uchenna emphasizes that OSSL staff is trained to high standards to effectively manage candidates’ concerns, saying, “We are dedicated to providing client-oriented solutions, resolving issues promptly, especially concerning off-cycle payments during onboarding and separation processes.”

Candidates often express their apprehensions in various areas, including compensation and pay scale, accommodation, medical insurance, family installations, airport pick-ups, and the timely acquisition and navigation of UMOJA accounts and portals in Employee Self Service. These concerns often carry emotional weight, especially in an environment where the mission requires prompt staff deployment. The OSSL team is trained to handle candidate issues empathetically, recognizing the significance of emotional well-being in their mission’s success.

“We all understand the potential impact of uncertainty,” Uchenna adds. “Therefore, we strive to connect emotionally with our clients, seeing things from their perspective to provide them with the right responses consistently.”

The onboarding unit’s focus extends to the integration of new employees, setting them up for success in their UN careers. Simultaneously, the separation unit ensures that employee departures are managed with professionalism and compliance, contributing to a positive overall employee experience and bolstering the UN missions’ efficiency and effectiveness.

In a world where every member of the UN family plays an essential role in shaping a better future for all, the dedication of teams like OSSL in facilitating smooth transitions becomes invaluable. With their unwavering commitment to ensuring that newcomers embark on their UN journeys with confidence, we can look forward to the continued success of the United Nations and its missions across Africa.