Dignity through Civility
In such a diverse and complex organization as ours, making people aware of the impact of their behaviour and providing the tools for positive interaction across personality types, work styles, gender, linguistic and cultural differences and time zones, among many other variations, is foundational to a harmonious workplace.
Issues ranging from poor communication skills to improper behaviour have a direct link with the occurrence of interpersonal conflicts. Pressed to achieve results, staff members may de-emphasize the critical importance of treating the people around them with the dignity and respect the United Nations promotes for all.
WHY CIVILITY?
In 2021, the compacts of senior managers include:
“I further ensure the dignity of each person by promoting an environment of civility and psychological safety that empowers staff, fosters creativity and innovation, and enables better communications amongst all staff.
“Acknowledging the potential negative impact of unhealthy work environments, I will endeavour to create and maintain a harmonious work environment based on mutual respect, where the contributions of staff are properly recognized and where staff feel free to speak without fear of retribution. I will promote a culture of honesty through leadership by modelling the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity.”
The United Nations Ombudsman’s contribution to the Secretary-General’s civility initiative is designed to designed to help. The need for civility isn’t something new nor has it changed over time. It has been embedded in the expected behaviour of United Nations staff since the Organization was established. The foundation has developed cracks and needs reinforcing. The lack of civil behaviour can impact mandate delivery. Mainstreaming civility into all our work will build the infrastructure we need to thrive amidst the many changes that face us.
Campaign Mission
To expose as many United Nations employees as possible to opportunities to engage with the mission and to develop methods of increasing workplace civility through their own actions and their response to the actions of others.
Campaign Vision
An organization where participants know themselves, acknowledge common goals and challenges, and treat one another respectfully and with kindness.
The Dignity through Civility Campaign aims to increase awareness, engage in dialogue and promote action to improve the quality of workplace behaviour. By helping each participant to acknowledge their role in our organizational culture, we can refine the culture by adopting behaviours consistent with our aspirations.
Campaign Components
Community Civility Communication (C3) Workshops
This interactive, three-hour workshop is being delivered across the Organization by the staff of the Office of the United Nations Ombudsman.
Acknowledging the fundamental importance of dignity as stated in the Charter of the United Nations, the workshop aims to illustrate a new dynamic of workplace interactions, provide participants with a language to describe this dynamic, shift mindsets towards civility and inspire participants to take concrete actions.
Civility Cafés
The Civility Cafés offer a unique opportunity for United Nations employees at all levels to come together and discuss issues that matter to them. Based on the World Café conversation model, the Civility Cafés allow decentralized, self-directed groupings (duty stations, work teams, offices) to establish an environment where individuals or groups can offer diverse perspectives to explore the topic, listen to one another and leave with a greater sense of understanding and, ideally, with some action steps they can take to improve the quality of civility in their workplace.
Communication
The above activities are supported with a communications campaign, guidance on online training, and support for senior management in fulfilling the commitment within their compacts to promote an environment of civility and psychological safety.
REMEMBER
Together, we will refine and realign the United Nations culture to one consistent with the goals of the Organization.
WHAT IF...
…Behaviour within your team was consistent with the values of the Organization?
…We acknowledged that WE are the culture?
DID YOU KNOW?
About 40 per cent of the workplace conflicts brought to attention of our Office have an underlying behaviour relating to lack of civility in areas such as:
lack of respect and poor treatment, issues of communication, toxic team climate and low morale