4.4.13. Staff training and well-being

Several EU+ countries carried out extensive training for case officers and other employees involved in the first instance procedure, while others analysed their internal culture or planned measures to retain experienced case officers and reduce staff turnover.

In Belgium, training for new staff was adapted to achieve efficiency gains. Generic training was abandoned and new staff were specifically trained from the start to manage applications from Afghans. A specific training package with online tools was developed for this purpose.

In Bulgaria, training objectives for 2022 were postponed due to the influx of displaced persons from Ukraine. A training session on applicants with special needs was provided for case officers through Norwegian funds.

In Estonia, the Social Insurance Board launched an e-course on psychological first aid for helpers in crisis, modelled on the WHO Guidelines for Psychological First Aid and available on the website of the board.488

In Ireland, IPO staff attended training sessions on statelessness, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), human trafficking and the Dublin procedure. The training was provided by IPO’s training unit in cooperation with UNHCR.

In Luxembourg, staff followed training provided by the EUAA on interviewing vulnerable applicants, interviewing children, temporary protection and inclusion.

Related to well-being at the workplace, the IND in the Netherlands investigated its internal culture and concluded that employees needed a more long-term perspective, increased involvement, clarity and open communication within the organisation. The results suggested that the work of the IND can be hampered by short-term vision, bureaucracy, rigid hierarchy and compartmentalisation. Employees appreciated performance orientation, social responsibility and a balance between private and professional life.489

Measures to reduce the high turnover of employees in determining authorities were considered in Lithuania by the Migration Department, which had experienced a record 29% turnover in 2022. To tackle the issue, the Migration Department increased its budget in order to increase wages and retain experienced employees.490