Senior Leaders reflection: Lessons learnt on Mergers in the UN

UNSSC is pleased to share a set of reflection papers from the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) on mergers, downsizing and relocation and invites colleagues to accompanying webinars to debrief together, and pool collective good practices. 

Developed by UNSSC’s UNLOCK team, these papers explore organizational experiences with mergers, downsizing and relocation across the UN system. Part of the UNLOCK-ing Change in the United Nations series, this work is grounded in the collective insights of change practitioners and draws on real-world experiences from across the system. It offers both lessons learned from past change efforts and framework to support leaders in system-wide transformation in the context of the UN80 initiative. 

The papers highlight the strategic potential of mergers, relocation and downsizing, while looking at the deep human implications. They explore the need to balance technical considerations with how we engage people, build trust, and navigate complexity together.