Not only supplementary pensions and supplementary healthcare. Among Italian companies, the culture of corporate welfare increases year after year and initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of employees multiply. A decisive acceleration came last year with the introduction of new tax deductions for entrepreneurs who adopt this kind of measure. But tax advantages are only one facet of corporate welfare, which was actually created to exploit the link between the quality of life of workers and the economic results of companies. How is this scenario changing in our country? We talked about it with Giovanni Luca Perin, chief HR e organization officer of Generali Italy.
Dr. Perin, what are the most innovative corporate welfare initiatives that are spreading among Italian companies?
«The attention of Italian companies is growing more and more in the field of welfare. We are becoming aware of the close correlation between welfare and productivity: the impact is in fact positive for both companies and employees. For us at Generali Italia, the well-being of our employees and the way they participate in corporate life are among the most significant aspects. Starting, for example, from Smart Working, which is finding more and more space in the Italian realities. We also recently launched a new employee wellness program. This is the new multidisciplinary wellness path, My Energy Journey: a complete path to learn how to manage and improve one's energies, with the aim of promoting a healthy and sustainable lifestyle in the company. But that's not all: we at Generali have organized two "Hackathons", real marathons of ideas, applying to a large company a methodology typical of startups that significantly affects people's motivational level. Another initiative is that of the "Tam Tam Talks": we host experts from different fields in the company who talk about how the world is changing, addressing topics ranging from innovation to geopolitics. Employees participate in the discussion with their own testimonies. It's a new way of working: contaminating, bringing new ideas into the company».
In general, what are the most common benefits for work-life balance?
«In addition to smart working, which employees really like, there are what we call "time-saving measures". In some locations, for example, we offer employees a series of services ranging from kindergarten to temporary shops, from laundry to changing car tyres, up to multifunctional nursing centers where blood tests can also be done. Added to this are the services in support of maternity (maternity parking, on-site and affiliated nursery schools) to reach children who are studying (scholarships, reimbursement of school, university, master's, textbooks). Then there are services that make getting to the office easier and allow you to say goodbye to the car (company shuttle, season tickets for public transport). All this helps to reconcile work times with those of private life».
Beyond the large companies, how is the SMEs' approach to corporate welfare changing?
«Some companies in Italy, despite being small, are already far ahead on the welfare front. Interest is growing and an important role in this process is played by the new tax deductions associated with these measures. On the other hand, it also happens that some small businesses have difficulty extricating themselves from the many rules, which are often difficult to interpret. The law offers great opportunities today, but at the system level we have yet to find ways to fully exploit them. And the first step is to spread the culture of welfare in Italy. We as Generali Italia, together with the main national associations, have promoted an initiative that goes precisely in this direction: the Welfare Index PMI, which aims to spread the culture of welfare among small and medium-sized enterprises".
How does corporate welfare affect productivity?
«First of all, it should be emphasized that this awareness is finally spreading: the link between corporate welfare and productivity is concrete and amply demonstrated by many researches. This is an important first cultural step, because until a few years ago Italian companies had not understood the connection that exists between the well-being of workers and the economic result. If an employee manages to achieve a balance between life and work, or even simply to pay more attention to his lifestyle, this has an immediate impact on his level of active participation within the company. It also increases customer focus and leads the best employees to stick with the company. Which is particularly important for SMEs».
How is the weight of welfare changing in corporate bargaining?
«The attention of the trade unions on these issues is already very high. It may happen that in some cases there is still some mistrust, but I'm sure that over time the workers' representatives will also focus more and more on welfare and that the agreements will increase».
In this context, what is the added value that an insurance company like Generali Italia can offer?
«Welfare is part of Generali Italia's insurance DNA: with social security and healthcare, we are also welfare providers and we bring our expertise to the area through our network. Having solid experience, thanks to our internal welfare system, we are building a widespread welfare system that is aimed at over 15 people including employees and collaborators, covering the 12 areas identified by the Welfare Index Pmi Report. Finally, we want to continue to play an active role in spreading the knowledge and culture of welfare".
