On January 22, 2025, the Municipality of Novo Mesto conducted a focus group as part of the European APOLLO project. Moderated by Peter Geršič, Head of the Development Office, the discussion brought together municipal leadership and employees to explore ways to enhance the quality of life for the working population in the Alpine region through digital solutions and social innovations.
The session addressed key challenges in service accessibility for citizens and work-life balance for municipal employees. Citizens often rely on physical channels (office visits, phone calls) due to the limited accessibility or understanding of digital alternatives. As a result, incomplete physical applications are frequently submitted, extending processing times. Employees require additional training to effectively assist citizens with using digital services. Older citizens and those with limited digital literacy face barriers in utilizing existing digital tools. Meanwhile, employees struggle with workload overload and insufficient separation between work and personal responsibilities. They frequently answer work-related queries outside of office hours, contributing to increased stress.
Deputy Mayor Sara Tomšič emphasized the need for proactive communication to reduce unnecessary visits to municipal offices. By informing citizens about their rights during life milestones, she believes we can ensure they fully benefit from available services. “This builds a sense of community and prevents citizens from missing their rights due to ignorance.”
Participants emphasized the need to upgrade the municipal website for clearer and more accessible information, implement an intelligent search engine to facilitate information retrieval, explore the use of artificial intelligence for filtering questions and guiding citizens, and optimize electronic forms for smoother administrative processes. Additionally, the discussion highlighted the importance of digital tools for better work organization, including task and document management systems, as well as improved internal communication platforms to enhance workflow efficiency.
As a collaborative European initiative, the APOLLO project will serve as a platform for implementing these improvements and exchanging best practices with partner municipalities across Europe.
