Contract types
Team members work under a variety of different types of contract in emergencies as in development. There are two major splits:
- International vs. national contract
- Staff vs. consultant contract
In addition some organisations have regional contracts which and lie somewhere between international and national contracts. There are also service contracts (for guards or cleaning staff perhaps) and volunteer contracts which might range from UN Volunteers through to people volunteering their time for free.
The cost of employing people under the various types of contract varies considerably. Reasons for choosing one type of contract over another may be taken on financial grounds but other criteria are also used
| Type of contract | Publicly stated criteria | Other criteria |
| International | Shortage of qualified people within the country Concern about stripping existing government services and others of qualified staff Concerns about undue pressure on national staff in senior positions from authorities and others |
Organisations often feel more comfortable working with people they have worked with before Perception that it it easier to recruit internationally – or at least the head office will be able to do so quicker than you can do locally Belief that flying someone in at great expense must produce better results than local recruitment |
| Regional | Need for a regional capacity | A compromise between international and national contracts which attempts to close the gap |
| National | Commitment to developing national staff Local capacity building |
Cost saving Security risks too high for international staff |
| Consultant, see Working effectively with consultants | Need for specific skills for a limited period | No approved staff post available to recruit person to Staff salaries too low to attract the person required |
| Volunteer | Highly motivated staff | Saving money |
| Service contract | Outsourcing keeps costs down | Moves responsibility for employment, health and safety etc away form organisation |