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The crown epidemic has exacerbated the Foreign Ministry’s problems in recruiting diplomats to serve abroad. Especially to embassies outside of Europe.
Chancellor Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide (H) and Ministerial Councilor Tore Hattrem on their way to a gala dinner at the Palace in 2019. Hattrem is concerned about the development in which fewer people will work abroad for the Foreign Ministry. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB
Nearly half of employees say they don’t plan on outdoor service for the next five, ten years, or nothing.
It shows a recent survey, conducted by the Norwegian Public Officials Association (NTL) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). NTL is the largest association of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with approximately 600 members. 348 of them responded to the survey.
Employees at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo refuse to apply for jobs abroad because the salary is too low and the partners lose too much in career breaks. Photo: Audun Braastad / NTB
The four biggest obstacles pointed out by the Foreign Ministry employees to apply for a job outdoors are the employment situation of the couple, that older relatives require closeness, that it is stressful to be out of time and that the economic package does not compensate, among other things, the loss of income of the couple.
It is especially embassies outside of Europe that are difficult to fill.
Survey responses show that large cost cuts have resulted in a higher workload, while also making it less financially burdensome to get published.
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Problems involving the family
For a partner of an employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a stay abroad carries significant risk and uncertainty. They can lose pension rights, careers and stop salary growth.
The stay in an embassy abroad is usually three years. During his career, an employee of the Chancellery is expected to have several stays abroad.
NTL Leader at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Paul Sverre Siljan Tharaldsen. Photo: Olav Olsen
The head of NTL in the Foreign Ministry, Paul Sverre, Siljan Tharaldsen, writes in an email to Aftenposten that “many of the conditions that the survey points out cannot be resolved by the Foreign Ministry alone.”
It is especially important to improve the conditions for the spouse / partner.
The NTL leader points out that this should be clarified with “the ministry responsible for pension schemes, social security rights and regulation of working time.”
In addition, the conditions of leave and the opportunity to take work should be improved for spouses / partners who work in municipalities or in private companies.
But the NTL leader also believes that the Foreign Ministry can act on its own. Today, the standard service period is three years. It can be reduced to two years with the possibility of an extension.
“For the family, it is often much easier to say yes to two years first than to three,” he writes.
UD: More difficult to motivate
At the top of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware of the problem.
Chancellor Tore Hattrem is concerned. Photo: Cia Pak / TT / NTB scanpix
Chancellor Tore Hattrem writes in an email to Aftenposten:
“Over time, it has become more difficult to motivate our employees to publish. The cause is complex, but development concerns us.”
Free comments on the survey include criticism of the Foreign Ministry’s handling of the personnel policy aspects of the crown crisis. Coronary restrictions are reported to make contact with family difficult in Norway. This is especially true for those with older relatives.
Most important with good staffing under the crown
According to the Foreign Minister, “The corona pandemic has made the staffing of Norwegian foreign service missions even more important due to travel and other restrictions.”
Coronary restrictions also mean that there are fewer job seekers in embassies abroad, especially outside of Europe. This is happening at the same time as it is emphasized that there is a need for “people on the ground” in the nearly 100 countries that Norway has excursion stations.
There is still a good application for the annual applicants course. For the admission of applicants this year, there were 455 applicants. 54 percent of them were women, 46 percent men. 19 applicants were admitted.
