Luciano Malfer
Research and Family Development Manager – Fondazione Bruno Kessler
In recent years, corporate welfare has become increasingly important in business development strategies. Growing difficulties in attracting and retaining workers, population ageing, changing social needs, and the demand for a better work-life balance are profoundly reshaping the relationship between people, businesses, and local communities.
Younger generations, in particular, are changing their relationship with work. Alongside economic considerations, greater importance is now given to organisational well-being, quality of relationships, flexibility, mental health, and work-life balance. Several international studies show that these factors are becoming increasingly important in helping companies attract and retain skilled talent.
In this context, corporate welfare is no longer seen as a set of additional benefits. It is becoming a strategic tool that helps companies attract and retain employees, improve productivity, and strengthen organisational stability.
Major international organisations confirm this trend. The United Nations, in Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015), highlight the importance of decent work, health, and well-being for sustainable development. Likewise, the OECD, the International Labour Organization, and the World Economic Forum show that investing in people’s well-being and in the quality of work helps companies become more attractive, retain talent, and improve organisational performance.
Corporate welfare is also becoming increasingly important in addressing today’s major demographic, social, and organisational changes. In this context, the experience of Plastik SPA is particularly interesting. As the first company to join the European Network of Family-Friendly Companies promoted by ELFAC – European Large Families Confederation, Plastik has made people’s well-being a key part of its business strategy.
In the interviews that follow, Anna Cattaneo, Sustainability and Institutional Relations Manager, and Alessia Pezzotta, HR Specialist at Plastik SPA, explain how corporate welfare can help attract and support employees, improve organisational quality, and strengthen the company’s social sustainability.
Anna Cattaneo, can you briefly tell us what Plastik is today and in which sectors it operates?
Plastik is a manufacturing company based in Albano Sant’Alessandro, in the province of Bergamo, Italy. We mainly operate in the hygiene and sanitary, medical, and technical packaging sectors. Today, we employ around 210 people at our Italian facility, rising to approximately 240 when including our site in Tunisia.
Our core business is primarily focused on the hygiene and sanitary sector. We produce packaging for products such as diapers and sanitary pads, managing the entire process from raw material processing to the final bag that contains the product. We also operate in the medical sector, manufacturing breathable nonwoven gowns, as well as in other fields such as building and construction.
Plastik is also a company with strong family roots. Founded in 1961 by a woman entrepreneur, it is now led by the third generation of the family. Throughout its history, the company has maintained a strong focus on people, workplace climate, and the quality of internal relationships.
Plastik was the first company to join the European Network of Family-Friendly Companies promoted by ELFAC. What motivated this decision?
This choice comes from our belief that people’s well-being is now a strategic factor for a company’s competitiveness and long-term sustainability. In a context marked by major demographic and organisational changes, we believe that a company cannot focus only on production, but must also pay attention to the quality of life of its employees and their families.
Our commitment to these issues is also linked to the composition of our workforce. One of our production departments is made up largely of women and mothers, which has led us over time to pay increasing attention to parenthood, work-life balance, and family support.
Joining the ELFAC network is not only a recognition of our efforts, but also an opportunity to become part of a European network of companies that share the same vision. For a manufacturing company located outside a major urban area in the Bergamo province, participating in an international network means learning from innovative experiences and giving visibility to organisational models that promote people’s well-being and social sustainability.
How important are family and work-life balance issues today in a manufacturing company?
Family is a fundamental part of people’s lives and inevitably affects both the quality of work and organisational stability. Today it is increasingly clear that supporting families also means supporting people’s ability to work well, plan their future, and maintain a healthy balance between their personal and professional lives.
In our case, this issue is particularly important because we operate in a shift-based production environment, with the typical constraints of the manufacturing sector. Despite these challenges, we have gradually introduced greater flexibility and practical support measures to help employees through the different stages of their lives.
Family-friendly companies are not simply more caring organisations. They understand that family well-being is closely linked to productivity, motivation, and the quality of workplace relationships. When people feel well supported, their sense of belonging grows, and they are more likely to work in a positive and collaborative way.
What is the biggest challenge today for a manufacturing company that wants to invest in corporate welfare?
The main challenge is balancing production needs with the growing demand for flexibility and quality of life from employees. In a manufacturing environment based on shift work and physical presence, it is not always easy to introduce work-life balance measures. However, we believe it is important to build practical and gradual solutions.
For this reason, we have developed several initiatives to support parenthood and work-life balance, including school vouchers, reimbursements for summer camps, support for employees returning from maternity leave, and policies promoting gender equality. Our goal is to create a working environment that supports people throughout the different stages of their lives.Our involvement with ELFAC and the exchange of experiences with other European organisations have also shown us how important collaboration is. International meetings and dialogue with companies and municipalities across Europe have strengthened our belief that corporate welfare cannot be addressed alone. It increasingly requires partnerships between businesses, local communities, and support networks.
Alessia Pezzotta, has corporate welfare also become a tool for attracting and retaining employees today?
In the manufacturing sector, attracting and retaining employees has become a key challenge. Companies are facing increasing difficulties in finding qualified workers, while younger generations have new expectations about work. Today, people look beyond salary and pay greater attention to the quality of the working environment, work-life balance, and the company’s overall care for employee well-being.
In our case, corporate welfare has mainly been developed as a tool to improve retention and strengthen the workplace climate. Through initiatives such as organisational flexibility, support for parenthood, school vouchers, reimbursements for summer camps, and family-oriented programmes, we have seen higher employee engagement and a gradual reduction in staff turnover.
At the same time, we are also focusing on younger generations. Many young people today are looking for workplaces that offer balance, well-being, and a good quality of life. For this reason, we believe that corporate welfare will become an increasingly important factor in helping companies attract new talent and skills.
In which areas of corporate welfare is Plastik investing the most today?
Our approach to corporate welfare is developing gradually and in an integrated way, with a strong focus on understanding the real needs of employees and their families. One key area is work-life balance, supported through organisational flexibility and financial measures designed to help families.
We are also investing in health and well-being by organising meetings with local professionals and initiatives focused on physical and mental health. Among the projects currently being developed are programmes for parents on topics such as eating disorders, digital technology use, and mental health.
Alongside these initiatives, we continue to offer established welfare measures, including birth bonuses, marriage bonuses, school vouchers, and company events open to families. We believe that corporate welfare is not only a set of benefits, but also an organisational approach that helps build trust, cohesion, and social capital.
Alessia Pezzotta, how are young people’s expectations about work and corporate well-being changing today?
The expectations of younger generations are changing very quickly. Today, young people place increasing importance on quality of life, flexibility, a positive workplace culture, and personal well-being. In many cases, these factors are considered just as important as salary.
For this reason, we are investing heavily in relationships with schools through internships and work-based learning programmes. We are also trying to better understand the expectations of young people. In some projects, we have directly involved students in designing new corporate welfare initiatives, gathering valuable insights, particularly on mental health and emotional well-being.
Some services that are still not widely used today, such as psychological support and mental health programmes, are likely to become increasingly important in the coming years. Younger generations are more open to discussing these issues and place greater value on the overall well-being of the individual.
Alessia Pezzotta, how do you see the future of corporate welfare in the coming years?
I believe that corporate welfare will increasingly evolve towards integrated, local, and personalised models. Companies will need to work more closely with public institutions, schools, healthcare services, non-profit organisations, and local communities, because many challenges cannot be addressed by a single organisation alone.
Welfare initiatives will also become more personalised and more focused on quality of life, strengthening policies related to work-life balance, family support, organisational well-being, and gender equality.
Corporate welfare will no longer be seen simply as a set of additional benefits. Instead, it will become a core element of organisational development strategies, social sustainability, and territorial attractiveness.