Briefing and handover

Briefings and handovers are crucial to the continuity of projects, and to ensuring the effectiveness of new team members.

Whilst a briefing covers essential information on policies, procedures, broader context and job requirements, a handover focuses on continuity of work and passing on the day-to-day experience of the role.

“The worst scenario is being dropped in with no handover at all and receiving just rumours and opinions and at best a whistle stop tour”. Richard Lorenz, Aid Workers Forum.

Every incoming post holder can benefit from a briefing covering the basic areas of:

Physical orientation:

Where do I find people, resources, information? Where do I eat and sleep?

Organisational orientation:

Where do I fit into this organisation? What are the values and objectives of this organisation?

Health and Safety: 

What are the safety and security procedures? 

Terms and Conditions of employment: 

How will I be paid? What am I entitled to?  What do I do if I have a problem?

Country orientation:

Background to the country and region? Nature and extent of the disaster, maps and plans.

Programme orientation: 

What are the aims and objectives; the funding; the progress; the challenges of this programme? What policies and procedures are used?

Job requirements: 

What are my objectives and timescales?  How will my performance be reviewed and evaluated? How does my role fit with others in the team?

The single most important source of information will be the job’s predecessor – failure to plan and organise handovers harms programmes.

• One hour at the airport is not enough better than nothing;
• One week working together would be ideal as it would allow introductions to staff and partners.

If a face to face debriefing is not possible, short written hand-over notes and files left in order is the absolute minimum.

In preparing to handover consider:

Current status of programmes:

finances and resources; plans and priorities; risks and contingencies; partners and key contacts with phone numbers, email and addresses

Brief history to date:

achievements, changes and lessons learnt, difficulties and constraints.

Priorities in coming weeks:

• day-to-day activities and regular commitments, and contacts,
• any ad hoc, one-off  events,
• on-going projects, supplies etc.
• any special duties e.g. chairing meetings.

General:

Ways of working; best sources of information; living advice e.g. how and where to relax!

Pre-departure briefing is often organised by headquarters, but a short telephone briefing from the field is helpful and full briefing on arrival is essential.