One week after the round table discussion that opened the debate on the reasons for rising absenteeism, a follow-up workshop titled “Employee Health – The Foundation of a Successful Future for the SAŠA Region” was held in Velenje. The event brought together experts from the healthcare, economy, legal, and private investigation sectors, along with company representatives, to formulate concrete proposals for reducing absenteeism and improving employee health. While the round table provided an analysis of trends and systemic challenges, the workshop focused on practical work: identifying critical points and designing measures that can be implemented immediately. The message of both events was clear – absenteeism can only be managed if theory is translated into actionable solutions.

The round table concluded that absenteeism in the SAŠA region exceeds the Slovenian average, with the reasons being multifaceted:

• overburdened healthcare profession and a lack of triage,
• demographic trends and psychosocial factors,
• ineffective communication between institutions,
• absence of standardized internal procedures,
• instances of abuse that undermine trust and equality.

The workshop was designed as the practical phase of the process – ensuring that findings do not end with analysis but are transformed into guidelines that support companies, management, and healthcare institutions.

Professional Framework: Four Perspectives on the Same Issue

The introductory part of the workshop offered four professional perspectives that together shed light on the problem of absenteeism.

1. Healthcare Perspective – Barbara Slamek (Velenje Community Health Centre, Health Promotion Centre)

Barbara Slamek presented how the healthcare profession perceives the growth of absenteeism and recurring patterns within companies. She highlighted:

• the increasing practice of opening sick leave over the phone, often without an examination,
• overburdened doctors and administrative pressure,
• the delay between preventive check-ups and treatment by a personal physician,
• a lack of early warnings from companies regarding recurring absences.

Her key thought: without early prevention, any system will be too late.

2. HR and Organizational Perspective – Aljaž Sečnjak (BSH)

Aljaž Sečnjak presented the internal absence management processes at BSH. He highlighted two key challenges:

• managers in local environments are not always objective because they know the employees personally,
• HR departments often receive information too late to take effective action.

He also emphasized the importance of group rewards: “If we want to reduce unexplained absences, the team must have a common interest, not just the individual.”

3. Monitoring and Abuse – Dušan Poslek (Detective Chamber of the Republic of Slovenia)

Dušan Poslek presented the reality of field violations and explained why abuse occurs:

• lack of monitoring,
• unclear rules,
• the employees’ feeling that “nothing happens,”
• the absence of a zero-tolerance culture.

The most common violations include undeclared work, sports activities, travel, and false information about location. Companies often miss the opportunity to act because they do not have rapid notification systems in place for suspected abuse.

4. Legal Framework – Žiga Cvetko (Feguš Law Firm)

Žiga Cvetko focused on the legal boundaries and opportunities for employers:

• what constitutes abuse,
• what can be proven,
• how to act so that procedures do not fail in court,
• when a company can initiate compensation proceedings.

He emphasized the importance of clear documentation and consistency: “An incomprehensible or undocumented process carries the same weight in evidence as if it did not exist at all.”

Workshop: Analysis, Agreement, and Concrete Proposals

The introductory presentations were followed by work in four thematic groups that formulated actionable measures.

1. Prevention and Presenteeism – Proposals from Barbara Slamek’s group:

• a regional early prevention model for monitoring recurring absences,
• regular preventive consultations between companies and the healthcare profession,
• improved transfer of results and information from preventive check-ups to personal physicians.

2. Health Culture and Work-Life Balance – Proposals from Aljaž Sečnjak’s group:

• daily monitoring of absences and a unified protocol for deviations,
• group rewards for low absence rates,
• involving employees in the design of workplace improvements.

3. Abuse and Monitoring – Proposals from Dušan Poslek’s group:

• a clear internal procedure for suspected abuse,
• immediate notification of the relevant services,
• introduction of regular checks, not just extraordinary ones,
• zero tolerance and consistent sanctioning.

4. Legal and Systemic Aspects – Proposals from Žiga Cvetko’s group:

• minimum standards for internal acts on absence management,
• unified documentation of communication between the employee, manager, and HR,
• a standard for collecting evidence that meets legal scrutiny.

Common Findings of the Workshop

• Early prevention is necessary, not just responding to absences.
• Communication between stakeholders is the largest systemic gap.
• Abuse is a consequence of gaps in the system, not necessarily “bad people.”
• Companies need unified protocols and internal acts.
• Employee health is a regional investment, not a cost.

Conclusion: The Way Forward

The workshop created a space for aligning views and exchanging experiences, and it yielded clear and actionable proposals. From these, a set of regional recommendations and professional records will be prepared, accessible to companies, institutions, and the general public. At the conclusion, Rok Plankelj emphasized: “Absenteeism is the result of many small gaps that add up. If we want progress, we need faster procedures, greater responsibility, and more coordinated solutions. Today’s proposals are an important step in this direction.”

There is clear potential for continuing activities in 2026 – both in the area of prevention and in cooperation between companies, healthcare, and institutions. Both events confirmed that the SAŠA region needs a strategic approach and tools that will establish employee health as a stable foundation for its development.