Conference on Innovative HRM: Shaping Forward-Thinking Leadership and Strategic HRM for a Future-Ready Public Administration
2 – 3 October 2024, Ljubljana, Slovenia
ReSPA and the Ministry of Public Administration of Slovenia brought together key leaders from public administration across the Western Balkans and Slovenia for two days of discussion on how societal, technological, and geopolitical shifts demand forward-thinking leadership and strategic HRM in public administration.
The Conference “Innovative HRM for Public Administration of the Future” gathered Slovenia’s Minister of Public Administration Franc PROPS, North Macedonia’s Minister of Public Administration Mr Goran MINCHEV, Serbia’s Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Administration Jelena ŽARIĆ-KOVAČEVIĆ, Montenegro’s State Secretary for Public Administration Mr Naim GJOKAJ, Kosovo*[1]’s Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Bardhyl DOBRA, former Slovenian President Mr Borut PAHOR, ReSPA Director Maja HANDJISKA-TREDAFILOVA, as well as State Secretaries from, Slovenia, Montenegro and other Western Balkans administrations, jointly with high-ranking officials from the European Commission in Slovenia, OECD, SIGMA, and various experts from the EU and Western Balkans.
Throughout the two days, participants addressed how to effectively meet future challenges while keeping the public sector an attractive career option.
During her opening remarks, Director HANDJISKA-TRENDAFILOVA stressed the importance of strategic leadership, workforce planning, and future competencies for building sustainable and resilient public administrations of the future: "Partnering with the Ministry of Public Administration of Slovenia, we have been honoured to host an enriching policy dialogue over 20 ministers, deputy ministers, state secretaries, and senior officials from the OECD, SIGMA, UNDESA, and key ministries from Greece, France, Italy, Croatia, and other EU Member States to address the critical societal, technological, and geopolitical shifts shaping the future of public sector HR management. Public administrations are an important backbone of effective governance, and if we aim to modernise our public sector—and, by extension, our societies—we must invest in strategic leadership and develop competencies for future-ready institutions. I encourage you all to engage openly and collaborate fully over the next two days, as this is a pivotal topic for the Western Balkans, the EU, and the world".
Minister PROPS underlined that the average age of civil servants is higher than ever, while the number of young employees is declining steeply. “Our task is to create an environment that will be attractive to young people and at the same time will meet the needs of all generations. Therefore, at the Ministry of Public Administration, we have prepared a Strategy for handling employees in the state administration until 2030, entitled "The key to better administration are people". With this strategy, we transform from traditional employee management to a modern, development-oriented approach. Our goal is to ensure that public administration is competitive, flexible, and attractive to all generations, while at the same time promoting the personal and career development of employees”.
A high-level panel, moderated by Peter POGAČAR, gathered ministers and deputy ministers to discuss how governments can build the public administrations of the future. Ministers Pops, MINCHEV, and ŽARIĆ-KOVAČEVIĆ, as well as State Secretary Naim GJOKAJ and Deputy Minister Bardhyl DOBRA shared insights into the ongoing work within their respective ministries. Director HANDJISKA-TRENDAFILOVA reiterated ReSPA’s role as a catalyst for public sector reform, driving modernisation through regional cooperation, capacity building, and research-driven solutions.
On the first day, discussions centred on the need for public sector leadership to adapt to rapid societal and technological changes. Participants explored strategies for bridging talent gaps, including grooming employees for key roles with AI’s support. A presentation followed on salary increases for welfare workers aimed at retaining and developing a competent workforce. Career mobility and development were also covered, emphasizing the importance of fostering a dynamic and adaptable public sector.
Speakers like Daniel GERSON, Head of the Public Employment and Management Team from the OECD and Angeliki FAITAKI, Head of the MIS and Statistical Analysis Unit at the Ministry of the Interior from Greece, shared insights on senior public service changes and workforce planning. Marilette VAN AS, Coordinator of International Affairs, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands and Francesco LEONE, Diplomatic Advisor to the Minister for Public Administration Italy, elaborated on career mobility strategies to foster professional growth.
Day two discussions focused on making public administration more attractive as a career. The role of foresight in preparing civil services for demographic, ecological, and digital transitions was examined, along with strategies to attract diverse talent and improve workforce planning. Data analytics and predictive modelling were highlighted as tools to anticipate future skill gaps and align training initiatives. Key competencies for future workforces, such as adaptability and digital literacy, were discussed, alongside fostering lifelong learning cultures.
Ms Mojca RAMŠAK PEŠEC, State Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration of Slovenia and Ms Elida RECI from UNDESA at the second day's opening addressed challenges and future perspectives in HR. Ms Faustine BENTABERRY (Head of the European and International Cooperation, Partnerships and Forward-looking Department, French Ministry for the Civil Service, Simplification and Transformation of Public Action) opened the panel Strategic Personnel and Succession Planning and Attractiveness of Public Administration which gathered State Secretaries of Croatia – Fadila BAHOVIĆ and Nedžad SALMAN from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ened KERCINI, Director of Directorate of Public Administration Reform Programs, DOPA Albania and Mr Peter POGAČAR. Moderated by Genti Xhaxhiu, ReSPA Programme Coordinator, the panel focused on how strategic personnel and succession planning can play a crucial role in developing and retaining future leaders, mitigating talent gaps, preparing employees for critical roles and making public administration more attractive as a career choice.
Edite KALNINA, ReSPA expert, elaborated on the essential skills and competencies required for the future workforce, including anticipating technological advancements, fostering adaptability and digital literacy, and promoting a culture of lifelong learning to ensure employees remain relevant and effective in evolving job roles and environments, while Eve LIMBACH-PIRN, ReSPA expert discussed consider the effective onboarding of new hires to make them feel valued and equipped to contribute effectively to the success of institutions.
During the World Café session, participants identified challenges and bottlenecks in HR management, proposing solutions to modernise workforce strategies. ReSPA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting public administrations through strategic HRM, leadership development, digital governance, and capacity building.
ReSPA remains dedicated to empowering governments with the tools, knowledge, and platforms needed to create innovative, agile, and future-ready public administrations. By promoting resilience, sustainability, and excellence in public service delivery, ReSPA aims to ensure that regional administrations lead by example.
[1] * This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and ICJ opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
