Roche Slovenia has initiated a collaborative approach and engaged with 18 key stakeholders in Slovenia’s healthcare ecosystem with aim catalyzing a profound transformation in the healthcare system toward a sustainable, data-driven, and patient-centered model. Using a thorough methodology that included comprehensive interviews, unbiased data collection, categorization of findings, validation of conclusions, and presentation of results, the researchers gained a comprehensive overview of the present and potential future of the system. These findings can serve as the basis for future discussions and recommendations.

Four core themes emerged from in depth interviews:
1. A Vision for Healthcare: Slovenian healthcare, despite its solid base, lacks a unified, long-term strategy, leading to disconnected operations and digital transformation roadblocks. A shared, enduring vision is vital for comprehensive transformation.

2. Serving Population Needs: Slovenian healthcare needs enhanced transparency in public health expenditure and a shift towards patient-oriented care. An effective healthcare network adopting international best practices, tailored to Slovenia, is essential.

3. Leadership: There exists a deficit in leadership skills in the public healthcare system. Enhancing soft leadership skills, utilizing data-driven tools, and encouraging decision-making at all levels are crucial.

4. Beyond Silos: The lack of cooperation impedes systematic progress in Slovenian healthcare. Promoting leadership, facilitating mindset shifts, and accelerating digitalization can help dismantle these silos.

Analysis identified 17 significant challenges, with five being most impactful if resolved:
1. Absence of a long-term vision and clear communication
2. Deficit in collaboration and mutual trust among stakeholders
3. Limited and unequal access to primary healthcare
4. Inconsistent leadership due to political interventions
5. System prioritizing outputs over patient outcomes

Tackling these challenges could lead to notable improvements, establishing the groundwork for further progress towards a more patient-centered, efficient, and cooperative healthcare system. Slovenia’s healthcare system is at a pivotal moment, necessitating innovation to meet changing societal and patient demands. The goal of this initiative is to catalyse systemic change that goes beyond incremental improvements. This task requires collaboration among all stakeholders, including patient associations, healthcare professionals, government bodies, academics, and industry partners.

The shared vision is to establish a sustainable, data-driven healthcare system meeting the needs of Slovenians, promoting collaborative problem solving and embracing innovation.

Roche stands ready to contribute its global resources and expertise to this transformation and wants to help establish a benchmark healthcare system for Europe. Cooperative effort is essential to evolve the system towards a sustainable, resilient, and patient-focused model that would benefit Slovenians and the wider society.

How do you perceive the current dynamics in the labour market? What are the differences between the individual countries where you operate?
In terms of human resources, we are currently facing an unprecedented situation where there is a significant shortage of suitable and qualified workforce in the market. In Slovenia, we have been dealing with such conditions for the past few years, and recently, these trends have also been unfolding in the region. But this is not surprising due to the shifting demographic trends which are further exacerbated by significant emigration, as well as a lower number of graduates from relevant faculties.

How does NLB ensure flexibility for employees in the changing economic conditions?
One of the key measures through which we ensure flexibility is the option of a hybrid work model. This involves a combination of remote and office work in a ratio of 4:1, meaning that employees come to the office a maximum of once a week. However, even this one day is not mandatory if they agree it with their supervisor. At NLB, we strongly encourage remote work, particularly in positions where the nature of the work allows it. We believe that it significantly contributes to improving the quality of life for our employees, while at the same time it helps reduce the bank’s carbon footprint and look after the environment.

If you compare the recruiting process today and 15 years ago, what are the differences in the employee profiles you are seeking and the approach you are using?
The profiles we are seeking today are significantly different from previous years due to the transformation of the bank’s business model. In last few years, we have observed a growing demand for professionals in the IT and data science fields, specifically data scientists, data analysts and translators, data engineers, information systems analysts, software and process developers, and professionals skilled in optimizing user experience. These are general trends, as in all industries, not just in banking: digitalization, automation, and robotics are making these types of profiles increasingly important. Consequently, there is a shortage of these, both in Slovenia and elsewhere in the region.

For instance in 2013, we received up to 500 applications per advertised job opening whereas now the number of applications is much lower, and the candidates are not as suitable as they were in the past.

To successfully address this issue, NLB invests heavily in the education of its employees and enables them for transition into these new sought-after profiles. However, we also emphasize that without a fundamental reconsideration and adaptation of the national educational system, this problem will continue to grow.

What modern trends in the field of human resources do you use? Do they impact the bank’s competitiveness in the region? If so, how?
At NLB, we recognize the importance of being an employer of choice, which is why we annually benchmark ourselves against the best HR practices through the Top Employer certification. We have received this certification for eight consecutive years including 2023. However, the main direction of our HR policy is determined by the proposals and feedback we receive from our employees. We regularly organise focus groups to define initiatives for improvement. Employee engagement surveys are also a traditional practice for us. We conduct leadership competency assessments using the 360-degree feedback method and develop individual development plans to enhance our organizational culture.

Together with our employees, we have formulated three values that all employees strive for: “growing people,” which emphasizes our commitment to continuous learning and personal growth; “encourage entrepreneurship,” addressing our constant drive for innovation, and »improving lives«, with a focus on enhancing the quality of life in our region.

At NLB, we strive for constant progress, and therefore we prioritize the growth and development of all our employees. To this end, NLB has had an Educational Center for over 40 years because we believe that only motivated, healthy, and continuously learning employees can build the bank’s future.

How, in your opinion, can we attract future talents to the region? Does NLB address this issue? If so, how?
In my opinion, we can attract future talents to the region by creating suitable conditions, the prerequisite of which is the competitiveness of the regional economy. NLB invests significantly in talent recognition, primarily seeking talent among our employees. To this end, we have established a talent management strategy that aims to provide a clear, simple, and continuous process for identifying and developing promising individuals within the NLB Group and preparing them for key roles. Additionally, at the Group level, we focus on collaborating with universities to establish connections with potential future employees.

However, in addition to companies, governments also have a role to play in creating a stimulating work environment. I believe that we could attract “digital nomads” to the region, but governments would need to establish a favorable tax environment. The taxation of labour in Slovenia, according to OECD standards, is exceptionally high, which hinders our competitiveness. While taxation in the region may not be as high, there are other barriers that we need to address collectively.

Does NLB have any talent exchange programs between the countries in the region?
All members of the NLB Group have adopted a mobility policy aimed at promoting and encouraging mobility within the entire NLB Group. Since not all countries where the NLB Group operates are members of the EU, cross-border transitions can be somewhat challenging. Therefore, we rely heavily on virtual teams that work on specific tasks and projects. There is a wealth of knowledge in the region, so the NLB Group is establishing its competence centers outside of Slovenia. Specifically, we have established the NLB Digit IT center in Belgrade,formed the Card Competence Center in Skopje, while we have set up the Centre of Excellence in Robotics Process Automation in Sarajevo.

How does NLB promote work-life balance?
At NLB, we pay great attention to balancing family and work life, because we believe that only healthy and satisfied employees make good colleagues. In addition to the mentioned hybrid work model, NLB holds the Family-Friendly Company certificate with 25 measures, but we do not rest on our laurels and continuously introduce new measures. Our employees have access to several measures that allow them to take time off for personal life responsibilities, such as settling children into daycare, accompanying ninth graders on an information day, dealing with exceptional family situations, accompanying a family member to the hospital, and more.

We also place strong emphasis on the health of our employees. We regularly conduct online workshops called “Healthy Bank,” which cover relevant topics such as sleep, maintaining a healthy spine, relaxation techniques, and stress management. We provide external psychological support to employees who are under pressure due to personal or work-related difficulties.

In Triglav Group, the largest insurance and financial group in the Adria region and one of the leading ones in Southeast Europe, they strive for a culture where employees transition between project teams, organisational units, and/or companies. This facilitates the efficient transfer of knowledge and best practices. Mobility, as they refer to this process, contributes to professional development and personal growth of individuals, and represents an excellent way to strengthen a culture of collaboration and learning.

Mobility is healthy

While many people prefer to stay within their comfort zone, most at least have some desire for personal and professional development. The opportunity for mobility presents an excellent chance for both. When an individual moves to a different company, they encounter different ways of working and thinking. They also have the opportunity to experience different cultures and meet new people. They may even contribute to the development of a specific project and the implementation of new practices from their field of expertise into another area of work, a different company, and so on.

Work and fun

One of the programs within the framework of mobility that has been running for over a decade in Triglav Group is the professional internship called “Spring School” or “Autumn School” (depending on the season of implementation). It is year to gain new knowledge and experiences and strengthen the connections within Triglav Group. The aim of this education program, which typically lasts for 14 days and takes place in Slovenia, is to systematically acquire and deepen the practical expertise of employees and transfer insurance knowledge within the region. The program encourages the sharing of best practices and ideas for improving work processes, as well as the exploration of new business ideas. Alongside the professional activities, the internship also provides opportunities for socialising, offering an environment for making new friendships and getting to know colleagues from Triglav Group. In addition to the professional aspect, there are also social programs and events where participants can discover Slovenian culture and attractions.

Both the participants of the internship and their mentors share the belief that investing in continuous education is necessary for a company to remain competitive and successful. As has been proven time and time again, the organisation’s greatest asset is its employees and the strong bonds between them.

The winning combination

Bringing knowledge and experience into one’s work environment is undoubtedly an advantage for everyone involved – both for the company where an individual completes an internship and the company where they work. For the former, it represents the promotion and transfer of good practices and work procedures. For the company where the individual works, it means gaining a different perspective on internal challenges and opportunities, as well as the implementation of potential new solutions and increased operational agility.

The participant themselves gains the most from the internship experience. They acquire new friendships, knowledge, and experiences, not only for their work but also for their life in general. The mentoring process is a two-way street, as both the participant and the mentor benefit and grow through the internship. Overall, the advantage of this type of mobility is that it allows for the exchange of experiences and knowledge among the companies within Triglav Group, which operates in six countries and seven markets, employing over 5,300 people. Mobility is indeed crucial for the company to acquire true ambassadors of a culture of collaboration and connection.

Aljoša Tušek, the CEO and Founder of Tushek Hypercars, once a very successful racing driver has always been intrigued by implementing the demands and knowledge of a professional racing driver into a sports car, so he decided to make his own supercar, drawing from his racing experience.

In 2008, he began to design the first supercar, the Renovatio TS 500 and with that model Tushek instantly earned a place in the global supercars market. The Renovatio TS 500 was also presented on the BBC’s famous TV show, Top Gear, where they were clearly impressed with the car, which was tested in the French Le Mans before the start of the famous 24-hour race.

In a way, Tušek says, it was the earliest proof of a successful model from a price-performance point of view, as it was very light and manageable, as well as balanced in price for a supercar, priced at around 250,000 euros in 2008.

The next model, the TS 600, secured Tushek’s position among handmade hyper cars on the global market. It was a big success – the UK magazine Auto Car named it one of the four best super sports cars of the year in 2014 and it still remains in the top 10 list of supercars.

Tushek’s goal has always been to have the best car on the market; they have only sold their prototypes so far, as they have never been satisfied enough with any model to go to the production line. The TS 900 plug-in hybrid is the first model where they plan to produce two dozen cars. They presented it at Top Marques in Monaco, and met with a lot of demand. It comes in a road friendly and a racing version. Its popularity is such that it’s one of the top played high performance cars in leading worldwide video games such as Asphalt9 and Grid Legends.

At Tushek, they started thinking about the electrification of driving early on, as they quickly saw the direction in which the automotive industry was heading. They began with the development of their electric drivetrain system in 2012, because, as Tušek says, they always try to work ten years in advance.

Their electric drive unit TUSHEK DIRECT ELECTRIC DRIVE (TDED) is the result of Slovenian technological know-how and was developed on the basis of engines used in advanced lightweight aviation. Starting from such high-power aviation engines, it took over 6 years of development to reach the 2018 patented drivetrain, currently one of the best automotive electric drive units on the global market.

As Tušek points out, with electric drives, the most important compromise is between the range and the weight of the batteries. This is precisely where the efficiency of the drives developed at Tushek prevails as one of the best in the world. In fact, their drivetrain is capable of operating with only 10 KW per 100 km during normal driving, with the batteries weighting only 65 kilograms in the TS900 Hybrid.

The development of their hypercars, as well as the drivetrain, depends on the development and use of new materials for the drivetrain and battery casings, which must be ultra-light and at the same time ultra-durable. Thus, they started collaborating with the Faculty of Polymer Technology from Slovenj Gradec, in the development of special materials for battery casings that are capable of withstanding extremely high stress.

Internal combustion engines are coming to an end, and they will probably last the longest in hyper cars and auto-motor sports. The engine sounds that people are used to now will be replaced by new ones. As Tušek jokes, now electric cars sound similar to “small UFOs”, but in the future, he adds, they will be a matter for each individual manufacturer to decide as part of the design of the car.

At Tushek they are focused on development and are investing heavily in testing new materials and developing electric drivetrains that will power their hyper cars entirely in the future. But, due to the expected delay in the transformation to electric cars in auto-motor sports, they are currently betting a lot on their hybrid TS900, which is, as they say, a technological revolution on four wheels, that shows the real use of new technologies. It creates new driving dimensions made possible by hyper-hybrid technology and a drive that has many patent-protected solutions.

However, since they do not see the future in hybrids, but in fully electric cars, according to Tušek, they are now focusing on the development and production of a fully electric hyper car, codenamed TS X000. He claims it will be a completely different hyper car, compared to the ones we are used to seeing on the roads now. It is still a mystery, how much horse power it will have, but Aljoša Tušek hinted, that it might have more than 2000.

So far, they have made a proof of concept for their all-electric car, and they want to test the new TS X000 for the first time on a racetrack towards the end of 2023. They plan to break into the global market in 2024, and then start with small-scale production of the car. Their goal is to create a model of the car that can be produced over a long period.

Tushek has become a development company as they invest 90 percent of their time in development, meaning that their R&D department is growing fast, but they have practically no production. They see their future in development, designing and assembling their own cars, and using certain parts from companies that are pioneers in their fields. Most of the cars are and will be the result of Slovenian know-how.

The development and patenting of their electric drivetrain has enabled them to establish partnerships in the automotive industry, that will financially support further growth and development. They also see the future in cooperation with the automotive industry, Tušek says, where they are currently a development partner to a global car manufacturer.

However, the next decade is going to be different. We will begin to see the first signs of the effects of an ageing population, the process of deglobalization, and geopolitical battles for dominance over financial and raw material flows. This will result in rising inflation and high levels of debt. Central banks will have the extremely demanding task of striking a balance between maintaining the credibility of currencies with a suitably high interest rate on the one hand, while ensuring appropriate growth and a suitable level of employment on the other.

Currently, after the Covid-19 shock, we are recording high GDP growth and increased profits in companies that are creating “reserves” for difficult times. Systematically, the economy is under-indebted, as is the population, but the excessive increase in public debt caused by inefficient spending of public money is concerning. Due to full employment and excessive inflation, central bankers are being forced to raise the price of money and thereby lessen demand. It seems that the bankers will tighten their belts all the way until “something breaks”, and then the tables will turn, and Central Bank delay will only increase volatility. It is very likely that there will be a decline in economic activity in the future and that inflation will continue beyond the target of 2%, therefore we must prepare very prudently for a period of stagflation.

The price of goods is a result of the balance between supply and demand. Governments can intervene in the market and regulate prices, as is currently happening with energy products. However, in the long term, this only distorts reality and does not allow for increased investment in the much-needed energy infrastructure, which would potentially allow prices to fall in the EU. The proverbial ECB can print money, but it cannot print oil, gas and electricity. Therefore, we can predict that with the reduced purchasing power of the population and fall in the value of assets, demand will decrease due to pessimistic sentiment and thus prices will slow down initially; however, in a later phase, with the delayed reaction of central banks demand will rise again and with limited resources, the inflationary cycle will restart. In this decade, we can therefore expect several waves of inflation with higher interest rates.

In the Covid-19 situation, based on the assumption of zero interest rates, all countries readily handed out helicopter money which helped to weaken monetary policy, and this fiscal measure prevented bankruptcies and a drop in GDP. This time around, however, the situation is more insidious, with increased interest rates and already heavily indebted government coffers. Will countries dare to borrow heavily again in order to help companies? Less likely than before, since the manoeuvre is less effective each time around. They will, hopefully, help in a more targeted manner. However, governments will not help zombie companies that do not have perfect business models and who exist only because of access to cheap money, for example, various developing technology companies with ideas that do not bring prevailing profit.

The health of Slovenia’s economy is basically good and there will be fewer problems at the aggregate level, but we can expect problems in those production companies where they are not able to pass on the increased prices to customers i.e companies with no pricing power. In production companies where the EBITDA margin is extremely low or for established traders who are over-indebted, for whom the increased Euribor will soon begin to squeeze and erode cash flow and liquidity. All companies will at some point record a drop in orders, including service companies, which are generally more resistant to higher energy prices and increased Euribor, at least in the short term.

Global PMI indices are historically low. The first major layoffs in the USA have begun, orders are falling in Germany, and we all know that we are “importing” a global recession to Slovenia, albeit with a certain time delay. It is difficult to raise business resilience rapidly in companies, however the EU has several grant schemes that will help companies make investment decisions, which may prove to be one of the main “solutions” for companies in the coming years.

Banks raise interest rates on deposits to a very limited extent, while lending rates are already significantly higher due to the effect of higher Euribor and higher mark-ups. Banks have limited the offer of fixed interest rates for long-term loans, and it is no longer so easy to refinance. With short-term revolving lines, it is still possible to get a fixed interest rate, but it is now at a higher level than 6 months ago. No one has a crystal ball, and we don’t know how far the ECB will raise interest rates, so the dilemma of whether to speculate or to decide on a peg arises. It seems sensible to “fix” at least part of the debt as soon as possible so that the company knows with at least some certainty what the financing costs are.

Irrespective of the future movement of Euribor, companies will still have the need to improve their cash flow. They will have to go through all bank and non-bank financing offers such as SPS direct financing of companies via various schemes or SID bank special long-term loans, however, some companies will also need an EGP guarantee if they don’t have quality mortgages to offer as insurance. Favourable loans to companies will be available from certain banks that are backed by a SID portfolio guarantee or those who can factor in their receivables, and where extremely fast access to fresh liquidity is possible, albeit from more expensive sources such as equipment leasing, private loan funds, inter-company financing, periodic tenders of the SRRS fund or newly emerging funds for the ownership support of young growing companies.

In addition, companies can check the offers of private funds with partial equity and/or mezzanine financing, both of which provide a more stable long-term source. Furthermore, quite a few (family) businesses may already be flirting with exit strategies due to the age of the founder, and future uncertainty may also be a key trigger for equity sales. Unfortunately, the optimum time and the highest valuation ratios are probably behind us. The stock market indices have also fallen from their peaks, but it still may be more prudent to sell the company within the next year for a “normal” market purchase price, than to think about rehabilitation in 3 years, if the future is still as uncertain as it is today.

Slovenian company DARS d.d. has walked through a very dynamic and diverse path. “Connecting Slovenia” is the slogan the company chose many years ago and it’s still as relevant today! DARS not only expresses the integration of Slovenia in terms of the construction of the highway system but also connects the past with the present and navigates the direction of the future. Digitalisation plays a critical role in improving the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of building, managing, and maintaining motorways and expressways. And DARS d.d. can be considered as one of the crucial co-creators of Slovenian’s economy, especially in terms of the development of transportation infrastructure. By providing efficient and effective digital solutions, the company helps improve the productivity, safety, and sustainability of the transportation network, which can in turn drive economic growth and development. Motorways and expressways are key components of the transportation network, and efficient management and maintenance of these assets as well as stimulating innovation are essential for ensuring the smooth functioning of the economy.

C-Roads Slovenia

C-Roads introduces cooperative intelligent transport systems for the transfer of information in the present time. These systems are based on infrastructure-vehicle and vehicle-infrastructure communications. C-Roads are primarily intended to increase traffic safety, improve mobility and reduce harmful emissions and have a direct impact on society. Due to the quick detection of irregularities on the road such as traffic accidents, animals on the road, irregular driving, etc., drivers can get the necessary information faster than before. With the help of the PROMET+ application, which directly transmits what is happening on the road, drivers are immediately aware of what is happening and thus ensure the safe behavior of other road users.

Currently, the C-Roads system is set up on the Postojna-Divača highway and can be used by anyone equipped with the necessary technology. The plan is to equip the entire highway infrastructure in Slovenia with the technology.

Building information modeling (BIM)

Digitalisation supports projects in all phases of the life cycle of the instrastructure – from the beginning of the design to the subsequent maintenance and management of the infrastructure. One of the first such projects is the second tube of the Karavanke tunnel, which is being built using BIM (Building information modeling) digital technology. The simulator detects errors in documentation and construction more quickly and easily, thereby reducing the time of the construction process as well as the costs of the project itself.

The simulator is also used in the inspection of highways with the help of drones – especially after natural disasters and the search for possible damage to the roads, as this ensures safe continued use and transportability.

E-vignette and DarsGo

DarsGo is equipped with a device that drivers install on the inside windshield, which is detected by road equipment (cameras) while driving, automatically calculates tolls based on the distance traveled, and thus enables faster traffic flow and a reduction in vehicle consumption.

The e-vignette is intended for all smaller vehicles, with a maximum weight of up to 3.5 tons. In addition to Slovenia, the e-vignette can also be purchased in 9 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and the Chech Republic.

Traffic monitoring

The entire highway infrastrucure is built on digital traffic monitoring – sharing information regarding weather conditions, signaling, traffic accidents, etc. and is fully covered by video surveillance and sensors. All changes introduced by DARS are aimed at people and changing the way we think toward a brighter, safer, and greener future.

I had just arrived in Sarajevo for a short break and was shocked and saddened by the texts I received, family missing, homes and businesses obliterated and everyone frozen in icy fear, as the shakes continued day after day and the sparsely clad inhabitants too fearful to enter their homes. I felt helpless and deeply saddened as family deaths were reported daily.

Money, clothes, food and blankets were needed urgently. Urgent fundraising was required, but I needed a voice. Having worked for The Adriatic in the past, I approached their kindly editor, Tine Kracun, and asked for his support in organizing a fundraising Turkish breakfast for the Earthquake Fund. He readily agreed, so all I needed was a venue. And the food. And the people.

My next stop on that frantic morning was to the Grand Plaza, start at the top, I thought and work down. To my delight and amazement, they also readily agreed to donate their luxurious VIP Lounge and the coffee and tea, as well as their amazingly helpful Events Manager, Anja Zagar. Next stop, food – as an unaccomplished cook, I can manage grilled peppers and humous, but not much more – but my Turkish friend, Event Manager, Ebru Mumcouglu came to the rescue, despite already being heavily involved with arranging clothes and blanket collections. She coordinated three or four Turkish friends to make the breakfast an authentic Turkish delight. Ebru and her friends donated the most delicious Turkish breakfast salads of feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumber and olives, cheese and meat borek, baklava, bread and real Turkish honey. The Adriatic and I provided fresh farm eggs, tomatoes, feta cheese, humous, peppers, olives and a variety of (Slovenian) jams. We estimated 25-30 attendees.

We advertised on Facebook and Linkedin and requested an RSVP. No replies were forthcoming, and friends were giving ambivalent “maybe’s” and by the night before we had received precisely zero replies! I had a sleepless night. Slovenia is not accustomed to this kind of fundraising, I was told.

The next morning at 7.30 am, the food started to arrive and by 8.30 am there was a breakfast buffet fit for a sultan, and we waited with bated breath…

My friend, Andreja arrived first, a Professor from the university, and gradually, people trickled in filling the grand table with a host of tongues – Russian, Hungarian, English, Turkish and of course, Slovenian, and by 9.00 am the breakfast was in full flow. I was too wound up to eat, and although I hope I managed to thank everyone that came personally, I didn’t make my intended speech.

However, I am fully aware that the attendees knew why they were there and everyone contributed to the Disasters Emergency Committee, Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal. We made 500 Euros.

As the crowd dispersed, we were still left with a feast of food, and with the agreement of ISR and Ebru, the hotel helped us package up the remaining food and Anja, the hotel manager and my dentist friend, Ljubica, helped med carry three large bags of goodies around the corner to the Kralje Street Hostel for the homeless where the kings of the street, had a meal fit for a king!

Fundraising is not common in Slovenia, and I am hoping that we, in Slovenia, can hold quizzes, tennis tournaments and other fun events to raise money and awareness for needy causes in the future.