Today, MSF entities offer different benefits to staff depending on their location and staff group. However, there is no standardized guidance on these benefits, leading to inconsistencies and perceptions of unfairness. This can also complicate collaboration between entities and limit career mobility for staff.
To address these issues, MSF has decided to develop minimum core benefits that will ensure consistency and fairness among staff groups. These benefits will align with the organisation's principles and values, consider local norms, and establish a clear baseline for MSF as a responsible employer.
An analysis of current practices reveals disparities in the type and level of benefits provided to different staff groups. The benefits under analysis include:
- leave (paid leaves, parenting leaves, circumstantial leaves),
- death/life insurance,
- short-term disability/sick leave,
- long-term disability,
- retirement, and
- healthcare.
MSF's minimum core benefits aim to support staff well-being by providing suitable breaks from work, healthcare for staff and their dependents, and a financial safety net in case of inability to work or work-related events. These benefits also facilitate retirement savings and contribute to MSF's reputation as an attractive employer with a supportive work environment for a diverse workforce.
A lot more work needs to be done to define the details of those core benefits. More information will be provided as progresses are made.
Understanding staff needs and priorities on benefits
To develop proposals for core benefits, staff perspectives and priorities were taken into account. Feedback gathered from staff engagement activities emphasized the importance of certain aspects of rewards packages.