• Slovenia

Association of Employers in Craft and Small Businesses of Slovenia (ZDOPS)

Association of Employers in Craft and Small Business of Slovenia ZDOPS

Profile

Association of employers in craft and small businesses of Slovenia (ZDOPS) is a private and non-profit organisation which was established in 1994 with a mission to represent interests of Craft sector and SMEs enterprises in a social dialogue (bipartite and tripartite). ZDOPS has the status of a social partner and is the contractual party representing employers in Crafts and SMEs employers in the collective bargaining. Main fields of work are: labour market and labour relations, collective bargaining, social security (health and pension), health and safety at work.

Membership in ZDOPS is voluntary. Members are provided with services such as:

  • Advice regarding labour and social legislation,
  • Provision of information related to legislation, other topic relevant for human resource management and business management,
  • Provision of lectures & webinars, of publications & samples of legal documents,
  • Intermediating employers’ issues to governmental bodies,
  • Providing employers annual conference and other (on-line) events,
  • Benefits from implementing (international) projects with innovative elements.

Projects

ZDOPS is experienced in (international) project implementation of various funding and has a wide network of experts. In the last decade, ZDOPS provided publications and developed several on-line tools to assist SMEs employers in their strategies, administration, employee’s management, safety at work. ZDOPS is also author of publication Digitalisation and small business (3 topics: dictate of buyers, challenges for providers and lifelong learning). ZDOPS is a member of European association for craft and small business (SMEunited) and of numerous bodies on national and European level.

Key tasks

Contribution of SME and professionals’ perspective on Digital Responsibility to the overall project, most notably in WP2 (conceptual integration) and in WP6 as facilitator for stakeholder engagement activities, with the responsibility to engage professionals.

Team

Expert Placeholder

Nataša Cvetek

Manager / Researcher

Nataša Cvetek is Manager-Researcher at ZDOPS for DIRECT. Trained in HR management, she brings deep know-how in labour markets, VET, SME initiatives, NEETs, active ageing and social dialogue. Author/editor of 23 publications and 20+ applied studies, she shapes policy on labour relations and social security. As EC negotiator on telework and the right to disconnect, she guides DIRECT’s inclusive skills and digitalisation agenda.

Expert Placeholder

Katja Oštrbenk

Administrative

Katja Oštrbenk supports DIRECT as ZDOPS administrative project lead. She drives the federation’s digital modernisation, overseeing PR, social media, dissemination, data analysis, quality assurance and finance. With solid experience in EU-funded project coordination, reporting and online-event management, she will manage digital info points and ensure timely communication and networking across the consortium.

Expert Placeholder

Sergeja Planko

Researcher

Dr Sergeja Planko is a researcher at ZDOPS for DIRECT. A faculty lecturer and HR scholar, certified auditor for the Family-Friendly Company standard and lay judge, she brings 15+ years in personnel development, age-inclusive workforce management and HR strategy design. As member of Slovenia’s Workplace Inclusion Champion council she will embed inclusive HR practices and family-friendly policy into the project’s training and quality work.