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Unplanned Terminations
Online Resources | Print Resources
One of the unique aspects of humanitarian work is that program staff work, theoretically, to put themselves out of business. Their mission requires them to care for, work with, or empower others until the need for their services is reduced. At that point, funding options recede and many workers, especially national staff, find themselves with non-renewed contracts or abruptly laid off. This can be a painful experience for workers who haven't yet prepared for transition or who live in areas with high unemployment.
In some cases, employees may lose their jobs because their goals no longer match those of the organization they work for. Even if the termination is the result of an employee's conscious decision to act independently or outside of mission parameters, the individual may not be prepared for the sudden transition. If managers administrating unplanned terminations consider transition options for staff—such as alternative employment options, references and referrals, or an extension of benefits—this may ease the staff member's difficult transition away from the program.
Emergency evacuation of staff is a highly challenging, if less common, possibility for humanitarian workers serving in insecure environments. Although agencies operating in war-affected countries are generally aware of the risks involved, the murder of staff members, ransacking of offices or vehicles, or other security problems are, nevertheless, shocking to the whole team. Though evacuation is best way to secure staff members in such cases, it can have lasting effects on the program and cause serious stress in workers. Even peacetime evacuations due to natural disasters or other unforeseen calamities can be similarly challenging. If managers prepare their teams beforehand for the possibility of evacuation and consider options for post-trauma care, staff may not only survive, but be able to do so with a minimum of post-traumatic stress or anxiety. And, as with unplanned terminations unrelated to evacuation, staff members who have been evacuated may seek transition assistance such as references for new jobs, transfers, or post-trauma care.
If you are a manager dealing with the tough issues of unplanned terminations and follow-through with affected staff members, the resources below may prove useful.
Online Resources
Print Resources
Sudden Removal From the Field, Powell, J.
Sudden removal from the field: it affects the person, the family, the community, the mission. It really affects everyone. This link leads to a citation for a chapter based on a presentation made at ICMK Nairobi, 1989, which tells what happens, what one can do to help, and distinguishes between crisis and transition.
All photos © Karl Grobl
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