Minimum wage stands as a fundamental right for workers and one of the oldest and most universal labour law standards in the world. Understanding the impact of labour market changes, demographic trends, and migration on minimum wage regulation could offer valuable insights into the future development of labour law institutes. This study focuses on how these trends affect the basic legal concept of the minimum wage and how they are affected by the legal regulation of the minimum wage. It draws upon a case study of minimum wage regulation in the Republic of Slovenia, with particular focus on social dialogue. In Slovenia, the minimum wage is legally determined, granting all employed individuals the right to receive it without differentiation based on domestic or foreign employment and irrespective of age. The right to a minimum wage has also been extended to cover certain non-standard forms of employment. An analysis of the minimum wage framework in Slovenia has shown that, even in the changed landscape of the labour market, traditional labour law institutions remain an important civilisational achievement and value.
Over the past decade, researchers and human-resource managers, particularly in larger private sector organisations, have shown an increased interest in talent management, while this issue has been overlooked in the public sector. The purpose of this paper is to present the literature review about talent management in the public sector and to show how the existing legislation allows the creation of a talent management system for Slovenian public sector organisations. The main methodological approach used was qualitative research with document analysis. The paper sought answers to three research questions: (How) are talented employees treated differently from other employees? What types of models or practices in the field of talent management are applied in European countries? What are the legal limitations in the field of civil servant talent management in Slovenia? The literature review shows that organisations that are aware of the importance and contribution to the ultimate organisational objectives treat talented employees differently from other employees in the organisation. Models or practices in the field of talent management vary widely among different European countries. The limitations in Slovenia are strict observance of the principle of equality and thus equal opportunities for inclusion in the system of talented civil servants with limited reward opportunities and, consequently, for the promotion of civil servants. In order to enable good practices in Slovenia, a change of the legal framework is necessary. ; V zadnjem desetletju raziskovalci in vodilni kadroviki, zlasti v večjih organizacijah zasebnega sektorja, izkazujejo povečano zanimanje za upravljanje talentov, medtem ko je v javnem sektorju to vprašanje povsem prezrto. Namen prispevka je podati pregled literature o upravljanju talentov v javnem sektorju in predstaviti možnosti za oblikovanje sistema upravljanja talentov v organizacijah javnega sektorja, ki jih ponuja obstoječa zakonodaja. Osrednji metodološki pristop je kvalitativna raziskava z analizo dokumentov. Prispevek skuša odgovoriti na naslednja tri raziskovalna vprašanja: (Kako) se z nadarjenimi zaposlenimi ravna drugače kot z drugimi zaposlenimi? Katere vrste modelov ali praks na področju upravljanja talentov se uporabljajo v evropskih državah? Kakšne so zakonske omejitve na področju upravljanja talentov javnih uslužbencev v Sloveniji? Pregled literature kaže, da organizacije, ki se zavedajo pomena in prispevanja k končnim organizacijskim ciljem, nadarjene zaposlene obravnavajo drugače kot druge zaposlene v organizaciji. Modeli ali prakse na področju upravljanja talentov se med evropskimi državami zelo razlikujejo. V Sloveniji omejitve predstavlja predvsem dosledno spoštovanje načela enakosti, ki vsem zagotavlja enake možnosti za vključitev v sistem nadarjenih javnih uslužbencev ter omejuje možnosti nagrajevanja in posledično napredovanja javnih uslužbencev. Da bi dobre prakse zaživele tudi v Sloveniji, je potrebna sprememba zakonodajnega okvira.
PurposeThe article focuses on the role that 'confidential information' plays in relation to the work of board-level worker representatives, and their interaction with other worker participation mechanisms. Thus, the purpose of the paper is to explore the implications of confidentiality of board-level information for effective worker participation. The main argument is that if board-level worker representatives are excessively constrained by confidentiality provisions, their capacity to work effectively is brought into question.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research was undertaken on a sample of 12 public limited companies in Slovenia. In each company, three interviews were conducted: with the CEO or board member, with a board-level worker representative and with a works councilor, who was not a board-level worker representative (36 interviews in total). Each of these interviewees has a particular role, and interest, in handling confidential information. Thus, a method of triangulation by groups was employed. The interviews were conducted at the company premises during October and November 2017. The results were analysed by the content analysis method.FindingsThis research confirms that in the majority of companies, nearly all of the material and information discussed by the board is deemed to be 'confidential'. Consequently, communication between board-level worker representatives and the works council is rendered difficult, if not impossible. The results indicate an urgent need to redefine the concept of confidentiality and to reinforce the level of communication between management boards and works councils.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is limited to one country, which, by no means, is fatal, as international comparisons, although of greater breadth, often lose some depth of analysis (especially, for example, where there are differences in legal contexts). Although the issues discussed in the paper are of relevance to all those with an interest in worker participation mechanisms, they cannot be generalised mostly due to national specificities.Originality/valueThe question of confidentiality as between the board, board-level worker representatives, works councils, trade unions and other form of worker representation, despite its importance, has been raised quite rarely in research. In this research, three groups of stakeholders (CEO/board member, board-level workers representative and works council members) have been covered, with the aim to extend the understanding of how confidentiality obligations impact relationships between these.
Over the past decade, researchers and human-resource managers, particularly in larger private sector organisations, have shown an increased interest in talent management, while this issue has been overlooked in the public sector. The purpose of this paper is to present the literature review about talent management in the public sector and to show how the existing legislation allows the creation of a talent management system for Slovenian public sector organisations. The main methodological approach used was qualitative research with document analysis. The paper sought answers to three research questions: (How) are talented employees treated differently from other employees? What types of models or practices in the field of talent management are applied in European countries? What are the legal limitations in the field of civil servant talent management in Slovenia? The literature review shows that organisations that are aware of the importance and contribution to the ultimate organisational objectives treat talented employees differently from other employees in the organisation. Models or practices in the field of talent management vary widely among different European countries. The limitations in Slovenia are strict observance of the principle of equality and thus equal opportunities for inclusion in the system of talented civil servants with limited reward opportunities and, consequently, for the promotion of civil servants. In order to enable good practices in Slovenia, a change of the legal framework is necessary.
This article examines the role of management in the system of employee participation. It builds on the premise that management can have a sizeable impact on how employee participation is put into practice. The authors develop a comprehensive index of employee participation implementation and test the relation between management's attitudes towards employee participation and the implementation of employee participation in a cross-sectional survey among 225 managers in Slovenia, using a mail-solicited web-based questionnaire. The results indicate a positive link between managers' support for participation and its actual implementation. If managers perceive a positive link between employee participation and corporate performance they will tend to put such participation into practice to a greater extent.
AbstractThis article examines board‐level employee representative independence with regard to said representatives' dual role as employee representatives and supervisory body members. In the context of corporate governance, board member independence has been of increasing interest, though this has mostly been related to shareholder representatives. We address board‐level employee representative independence focused on Slovenia, a central‐eastern European country with a developed system of employee participation. We conducted qualitative research at twelve public limited companies in Slovenia to gain in‐depth understanding, with a CEO or board member, board‐level employee representative and works councillor not at board‐level being interviewed in situ following the same semi‐structured format. Results indicate legal and practical concern regarding board‐level employee representative independence, calling for further research and regulation.
Marginalised groups of workers in Slovenia are traditionally most affected by labour market uncertainty, but increasingly middle-class and upper-class workers are experiencing the same. Furthermore, new work forms have given rise to ethical, psychological and legal dilemmas. In this paper, we examine the concept of decent work and focus on job-related and organisational aspects of work in Slovenia. In the empirical part of the paper we therefore focus on working time, work organisation and co-operation within teams, work-life balance, health and stress, and overall satisfaction with working conditions. Our results evidence that new work forms increase insecurity and consequently diminish worker well-being; and this is most experienced by younger, agency and self-employed workers in Slovenia. This suggests that the development of multilevel and multifaceted measures which take into account socio-psychological and legislative factors to address labour market segmentation is necessary, especially when addressing the needs of those forced to work atypically. ; U svijetu je sve više nesigurnih radnih uvjeta koji utječu na tradicionalno marginalizirane skupine radnika. Isto tako, sve češće radnici srednje klase i viših slojeva osjećaju nesigurnosti na radnom mjestu. Novi oblici rada doveli su do mnogih etičkih, psiholoških i pravnih dvojbi. U ovom članku analiziramo koncept pristojnog rada i usredotočujemo se na radne i organizacijske dimenzije rada u Sloveniji. Stoga se u empirijskom dijelu članka usredotočujemo na radno vrijeme, organizaciju rada i suradnju unutar timova, ravnotežu radnoga i privatnoga života, zdravlje i stres te ukupno zadovoljstvo radnim uvjetima. Rezultati pokazuju da novi oblici rada čine posao manje stabilnim i na taj način ugrožavaju dobrobit radnika, što je posebno izraženo u grupi mlađih radnika, agencijskih radnika i samozaposlenih u Sloveniji. Stoga treba razvijati mjere za rješavanje segmentacije tržišta rada koje će biti višeznačne i na više razina, uzimajući u obzir socijalne, psihološke i zakonodavne čimbenike, posebno ako je riječ o potrebama zaposlenih koji moraju raditi netipično.
This article presents the findings of an extensive qualitative and quantitative in-depth study of precariousness among working population in Slovenia. Semi-structured interviews of a sample of people engaged in different forms of work and a survey of working population were conducted to identify the impact of the different forms of work on perceived employment and social security, access to skill and voice in the workplace, socio-economic status and future prospect. Our research confirms that implicit precariousness exists in all forms of work, but its magnitude (low, medium or high), depends on the contractual form. The greatest disparities were found in remuneration and working hours, while workers in all forms of work have only modest opportunities for training. The risk of poverty is also unrelated to the form of work and similarly all workers fear taking sick leave. There is also a pessimistic view of future prospects, including retirement. Taking into account the pandemic, which is threatening the wellbeing of millions, an ambitious response of regulatory regimes is required to ensure the best working conditions, training and fairness for all and to do so it is important to thoroughly understand various dimensions of precariousness.
The study looks at the articulation and the complex multi-level links between European and national levels of social dialogue. It examines the factors that facilitate as well as those that hinder the successful engagement of national social partners and their ability to promote their own interests effectively. It highlights the need to overcome some gaps in coordination, resources and capacities, particularly in those countries with underdeveloped structures of bilateral social dialogue at sectoral level linking to European-level social dialogue. The findings show that what is needed is a longer-term perspective on the multi-level governance of employment within the EU, one that would foster institution-building within sectoral social dialogue. Based on case studies and interviews with trade unions and employer organisations, the study illustrates that well-functioning national social dialogue is a key driver of positive and effective cooperation between all levels.
