August 19, 2024

Ombuds for Asian Development Bank Reports Strain from Reduced Staffing

In his latest annual report, ADB's Ombudsman, Wayne Blair, said that his office handled 538 cases in 2023. Although the number was up only slightly from the prior year, Blair said that his office was facing significant challenges following the retirement of a key position (Gigi Alejandro, Senior Ombuds Program Officer): "The staffing shortfall is a significant barrier to the fulfillment of OOMP’s mission. It is holding the office back from achieving higher goals and fully serving the needs of the ADB community."

Blair's report details the consequences of an underfunded Office of the Ombudsperson, which can be generalized to other programs:
  • Increased wait times. Staff members experience longer wait times for appointments, leading to frustration and decreased engagement. 
  • Delayed follow-ups. There are significant delays in case follow-ups, which can exacerbate existing issues and reduce the effectiveness of interventions. 
  • Missed opportunities. Some individuals opt not to seek assistance because of the inability to secure timely meetings, leaving their concerns unaddressed. 
  • Unsustainable caseloads. The current caseload is unsustainable, resulting in increased stress and potential burnout among OOMP [Office of the Ombudsperson] staff. 
  • Quality concerns. OOMP staff are increasingly worried about the diminishing quality of service provision, which can undermine the office’s credibility and effectiveness. 
  • Reduced focus on innovation. The necessity to prioritize case management over other vital activities, such as awareness raising, education, and support initiatives, limits the office’s ability to innovate and proactively address issues. 
  • Unfulfilled duties. The focus on case management detracts from other essential responsibilities outlined in OOMP’s terms of reference, including support to field offices.
The report is rich in many other areas, highlighting Ombuds activities, visitor demographics, patterns and trends, and upward feedback. (ADB 2023 Ombuds Report.)

Labels: , , ,

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous8/20/2024 10:12 AM

    I appreciate the outlined outcomes of the impact of reduced staffing on visitors. While it's a no surprise to read this, it's refreshing to see the annual report outlining the downsides of smaller Ombuds staff due to organizational change or decision making.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8/21/2024 10:15 AM

    The expectation that an organizational office will be able to do more with less is a lie finance people tell themselves. The reality is that organizations do less with less.

    The danger here, it appears, is that upper management sees the diminishes effectiveness/satisfaction as an excuse to cut the program. "I don't know, Wayne. This office used to be good. We can't justify it with this diminished satisfaction."

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)