More free time and a sharper focus on work-life balance; these are the latest trends among employees. As emerged from the 1st Censis-Eudaimon Report about Employee Welfare in 2018 (Rome, January 24th), the 58,7% of employees have a positive attitude regarding life-work balance initiatives. Among the majority stand out graduates, workers with little children and upper-middle income employees. According to Censis, the most sought-after services are those health-related, supplementary pension, commuting rates (i.e. public transportation passes), kindergartens, summer schools and refunds for education-related expenses.
How is Italy facing welfare, as a country mostly made of SMEs and family businesses who know little about Employee Welfare? According to Alberto Perfumo, CEO of Eudaimon, one of the main Italian providers specialized in customizing Employee Welfare plans for enterprises and author of the provocative book “Il welfare aziendale è una iattura” (Employee Welfare is a Jinx) Este Edizioni:” Thanks to a few favourable regulations enforced throughout the latest years, we have been able to witness a progressive improvement of Employee Welfare in Italy compared to the beginnings.
The key is being able to customize every welfare plan according to the people’s needs; one cannot impose anything, even if aimed to improve the employee’s wellbeing, because it would only compromise its added value. Thus, it’s very important to pay attention to the way one wants to communicate about welfare within its enterprise. Not only, but means of communications must also be carefully chosen in order to let the employees know what’s at stake for them as part of the welfare plan, otherwise, they could miss the chance of taking advantage of the benefits at their disposal.”