For Italian companies, transformation is no longer an extraordinary operation, but has become the "new normal," a permanent operating condition, and those who fail to recognize and apply it risk being left behind. This is the overall picture that emerges from theProtiviti Observatory # Managed Solutions Conducted by Gpf Inspiring Research, the study included a series of in-depth qualitative interviews with key figures in the Italian economy and 100 structured interviews with top executives at companies with a turnover of more than €100 million, spanning six key sectors of the Italian economy.
The report also shows that the declared strategic priorities — organizational resilience (47%), optimization of fixed and variable cost structures (44%), operational performance and productivity (41%), customer and user experience (41%), digital transformation of processes (37%) — are not isolated, but “converge towards a single underlying need, adaptive capacity as an essential strategic lever,” the report states.
“There's no shortage of money for growth, there's a shortage of skills.”
The clearest result that emerges from the research concerns the so-called mismatch: according to the managers interviewed, to achieve the declared strategic priorities, it is not so much necessary to reduce management costs by outsourcing low-value activities (last driver in the ranking with 25%), but rather introduce qualified personnel with specialist skills (first in the ranking, with 55%) and rely on competent and scalable partners capable of adapting quickly to changes (second in the ranking 54%).
"Italian companies, therefore, are not looking for cheaper suppliers: they are looking for partners with the skills and resources needed to make things happen and accelerate the transformation process," commented the experts at Gpf Inspired Research for Protiviti.
In light of this declared need, the main structural barriers to growth are attributed by the managers interviewed to shortage of qualified resources on the market (score of 4,52 / 5) — especially in technological, digital and transformative fields — and the speed of technological developments (score of 3,99 / 5). Consistently, looking at the labor market, the concern is mismatch between supply and demand of work (shared by 54% of the interviewees), followed by training not aligned with real business needs (40%).
Finally, looking at the most in-demand skills Over the next two years, Cybersecurity and Data & AI will lead the ranking (35% each), closely followed by IT (with 31%).
The report highlights that 67% of the companies in the sample use forms of temporary insertion of external expertise, while 72% use services managed by external providers, with IT & Digital and Risk, Legal & Compliance leading the way (both 21%). Of the companies that use external providers, 54% plan to further increase their use in the next two to three years.
From suppliers to partners
The study also shows that companies are looking for partners who contribute to the transformation and share risks and results. The term and the very concept of "supplier"—as companies have known it for decades—are becoming extinct. Demand is shifting from a mere supply logic to an integrated operational partnership logic, which is given high importance: an average score of 4,6 out of 5, with peaks of 4,9 in the Energy sector and 4,8 in Technology. "Companies don't want 'pieces' of support: they want partners capable of accelerating transformation and innovation, share governance and results, ensure implementation and specialist support”, explains the study which then also highlights the perceived usefulness of Managed Solutions: an average score of 4,6 out of 5.
Emma Marcandalli, managing director of Protiviti, emphasizes: "Behind every transformation, there's more than just budget and technology: there are qualified people with their skills. Our Observatory depicts a business system that isn't trying to spend less, but to do more to stay competitive—and that has understood that no single company possesses all the skills it needs, when it needs them. We believe in a new way of working together, based on sharing a vision, results, but above all, a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise that, if not circulated sufficiently, risks hindering growth. PROTIVITI and Robert Half's Managed Solutions meet this challenge: we place the right people alongside companies and address the complexities of transformation together."
Alessandro Cencioni, managing director of Protiviti, commented: “Skills are a decisive factor for the organic growth of the Italian economic system. In this
In this scenario, Protiviti and Robert Half's Managed Solutions are seen as an "intangible infrastructure" serving the public and private sectors. For this reason, access to specialized and flexible workforces becomes essential in contexts where additional capabilities are needed to manage complex transformations.
Paul BridgeRobert Half, Managing Director in Italy, commented: "The most significant finding from the research is that transformation today is not limited by the availability of investment, but by the ability to execute. Organizations require specialized skills, flexible operating models, and partners capable of taking responsibility for results. Provitviti and Robert Half developed Managed Solutions jointly to meet this need, combining experience in organizational transformation with access to a global network of qualified talent to help companies accelerate change while maintaining control, quality, and scalability."
