Within the frame of co-operation between Public Employment Services from the eight Central European Countries the workshop "Quality management - regional and local level" took place in Ankaran, Slovenia, from 8 to 9 October. More than twenty representatives of PES from Austria, Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Poland and Slovenia participated in the workshop which was jointly organised by the Slovene and Austrian employment services. The guest expert was Mr. Kristian Bak from the Danish employment service.

The main topic being quality management, the participants focused on the discussion and exchange of experience and cases of good practice. The basic aim of the workshop was to contribute to further improvement of PES operation and satisfaction of their customers and employees.

The key principles and practical experience in total quality management in Public Employment Services were introduced, as well as the models ISO, EFQM and CAF. Austrian and Danish experiences as regards ISO and EFQM were presented, too, followed by topics such as the importance of public relations and internal communication regarding quality management in general and the use of the so-called RADAR method for self-assessment within the EFQM model.

A new and improved European model of business excellence EFQM, which is being implemented in Slovenia, too, helps organisations to set up an appropriate management system. Not only does it show how far they are as regards business excellence but also where their weaknesses and possible solutions lie.

Having been developed in recent years, the European model CAF (Common Assessment Framework for organisations in the public sector) has been introduced in the Slovene administration as well. It originates in the model of business excellence EFQM and is specially adapted to public administration at various levels. It represents the introductory level leading to excellence. The ISO standards also represent one of the first steps on the way to excellence.

The Ankaran workshop was planned by Ms. Traudi Omejc Mihalič from the Slovene employment service and Mr. Peter Oberbichler from the Austrian employment service AMS. The workshop was actually the first part of the entire workshop on the topic of quality management in PES focusing on regional and local levels. In the first part of the workshop the PES participants from individual countries prepared the concepts of concrete projects dealing with quality management which they plan to carry out by June 2004. The realisation of these projects will be presented in the second part of the workshop which will take place in Austria next year.

The report of the workshop
The photo of the workshop's participants