Businesses appear to be resilient, at least for now, to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In the first six months of 2020 three out of four companies have managed to keep the number of employees stable despite the lockdown and the numerous difficulties caused by the Covid-19. However, there are those who have not been so lucky: 21,3% of Italian companies have had to reduce employment levels. On the contrary, 36 companies, 2,6% even managed to increase them.
These are the results ofExcelsior investigation conducted between 25 May and 9 June by Unioncamere in agreement with Anpal.
Continuing with the data, the report records a negative balance between companies that have reduced and companies that have increased the number of their employees equal to -18,7 (with a maximum of -22,7 points for companies with 10-49 employees).
Going into more detail, Unioncamere shows how they were above all the ones who held up better exporting companies (-15,2 points of difference between companies in decline and growing companies compared to -19,1 of non-exporting companies). Positive results also for companies already equipped with integrated digitization plans, which show greater employment resistance – with a less accentuated negative balance (-17,4) between those who increase and those who decrease employment compared to companies that have not yet been digitized (-19,3) – thanks to the innovations previously introduced.
Excelsior's survey also confirms the digital push underway in recent months. Not surprisingly, "companies are finding the first response to the current crisis situation precisely in the acceleration of digitization processes: in fact, 1.036 companies are planning digitization interventions in recent months (about 75% of the universe of reference), marking a growth of around 7 percentage points compared to the period preceding the health emergency (+91 companies)”, reads the report. The new investments focus above all on solutions for an innovative organization of work and relations with customers and suppliers; integrated digital networks also favored by a greater diffusion of the cloud, high-speed internet and IoT technologies; use of Big Data, Digital marketing and more advanced customization of products/services.
Finally, regarding the recovery, the report requires a long time. In fact, the majority of companies estimate that activity will return to pre-crisis levels only in a year's time, in June 2021, while only just under 219 companies see the return to an acceptable situation closer between July and October, and 381 achieve this goal by the end of 2020.
