Professional and future-proof operations

Dear colleagues,

It is a pleasure to present this fourth issue of the BZ Operational Management magazine. This time, we look at how we are making BZ fit for the future and at how we connect – and stay connected amid the daily whirlwind of changes in The Hague and the global arena. These times demand that we make conscious choices that will increase the efficiency and agility of our operational management. Not only by exercising due care, but also by being flexible, working together and cutting red tape.

The challenges we face are complex. I realise that questions may arise, and perhaps even concerns. That’s why it is so important for us to keep communicating with each other: to offer clarity, share ideas and listen carefully to opinions and concerns. It’s through staying connected, in The Hague and at the missions worldwide, that we’ll arrive where we need to be, together.

We will continue looking closely at how we can organise our work smarter and more effectively. For a future-proof BZ, we need to be bold, and opt for agility, trust and common sense. We need to resist the reflex to introduce new checks, make exceptions or cover all possible risks. We need to have the courage to say: ‘We can make this simpler. And we’re just going to do it.’ One great example of this is how the Financial and Economic Affairs Department made the rules for using BZ credit cards more flexible.

The operational management portal BZelf, which is still being expanded, and digital innovations like the Missions Dashboard, the Trade & Economic Database (TED) Dashboard and the Parliamentary Papers Dashboard support our work processes, and offer structure and control in an increasingly complex environment.

Read on to discover how operational management is keeping step with a world in flux. And how structure and renewal can amplify each other. We’ve already achieved a lot together, and we can be proud of those results. And we will keep learning, making adjustments and sometimes taking risks in order to continue moving forward. I’m confident that by working together, staying connected and taking bold steps, we will create more effective and future-proof operational management, to the benefit of the whole BZ organisation.