Extra leave, summer camps, services: companies are bringing forward the measures

In 2024, 41,406 women resigned within the first three years of their child's life: 68% of a total of 60,756 requests validated by the National Labor Inspectorate. Fathers resigned within the first three years of their child's life, accounting for 18,048.

The female employment rate in Italy is 53.7% , increasing compared to recent years, but far from the European average (66%).

"The introduction of structural measures and funding for work-life balance could help overcome the fragmentation of current interventions and also support small and micro-businesses , which have more difficulty initiating initiatives in this area than large companies," explains Valentino Santoni, a researcher at Percorsi di secondo welfare, a research laboratory linked to the Department of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Milan.

In a manufacturing context like Italy's, where microbusinesses (fewer than 10 employees) account for 95% of the workforce and employ nearly half the workforce, it's a real limitation that welfare and work-life balance programs can only be financed and organized by large companies.

One of the most widespread initiatives in recent years among companies implementing work-life balance programs is the 80% premium for state-funded parental leave for the first three months. The Campari Group, for example, has launched a Global Parental Leave Policy , with 20 weeks of paid leave for primary caregivers and 12 for secondary caregivers. For this policy, it recently won the Best HR Team award from the HRC Community, an international network of human resources managers. "Work-life balance policies," explains Marco Gallo, managing director of HRC, "are no longer optional: they are essential for retaining talent , and in particular for maintaining women's skills after maternity leave."

The Chiesi Group supplements the mandatory 10-day leave for working fathers with 12 weeks of full pay, to be taken within 12 months of the birth or adoption/foster placement of their child. "Paternal leave," explains Giacomo Mazzariello, the group's Chief Human Resources Officer, "has also had a positive impact on female workers. It has also helped workers see their desire to share family responsibilities recognized and validated."

The project launched by Magroup (Magnaghi Aerospace) focuses on supporting female workers returning after maternity leave: "Returning after maternity leave," explains Human Resources Manager Anna Illiano, "is a new chapter to write together with the company, and when approached with the right support, it becomes a great opportunity to spark positive change."

CAMPARI

Parental leave up to 20 weeks

The Campari Group, headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni (Milan) and employing 5,000 people worldwide, launched a Global Parental Policy in 2024. Up to 20 weeks of fully paid parental leave is provided for the first parent and up to 12 weeks for the second parent, to be taken within an 18-month period. The second parent can also use the weeks in installments, based on their needs. The minimum number of weeks of parental leave has thus been increased in 15 of the 24 countries where the group has production facilities. Employee participation is voluntary . In individual countries, these benefits are harmonized and integrated with other available benefits. During the organizational phase of the new policy and before launch, the company initiated discussions with managers, including individual interviews, to obtain their opinion on the feasibility of the project.

CHIESI PHARMACEUTICALS

100% compensation and free hours for visits

The Chiesi Group , a pharmaceutical company with 7,500 employees worldwide, founded in Parma in 1935, has introduced a series of new measures in its supplementary company agreement valid for the three-year period 2024-26. Starting January 1, 2024, the company will supplement the parental leave allowance provided by INPS up to 100% of salary (the state provides an allowance of 80% for three months, which can be taken alternatively by parents, and a further six months are compensated at 30%).

Parental leave, also valid for same-sex couples , supplements the 10 days legally provided for fathers with 12 weeks of full pay, to be used within 12 months of the birth or adoption of a child (continuous use, with application at least three months in advance). It provides an unlimited number of hours for specialist medical visits for oneself or for children up to age 14 (with a maximum of four hours of leave per day) and reimbursement for nursery and preschool expenses up to €600 per month, for families with an ISEE of up to €25,000.

MAGROUP

Support for mothers returning to work

Magroup (Magnaghi Aerospace) , a 90-year-old company founded in Naples and active in the production of aircraft and aircraft parts, has 1,500 employees. Since March 2025, in collaboration with the innovative startup "La luna del grano," it has launched Mum at work , a remote program to support working mothers returning to work after maternity leave. The workers are primarily engineers. The program, which requires voluntary participation, includes a mother-and-child academy consisting of recorded videos addressing the most common issues related to returning to work; coaching sessions to help new mothers find the necessary motivation; a questionnaire developed with psychologists to identify the areas in which the worker feels she most needs help; three interviews with a professional; and a consultation between the worker and Human Resources to identify and resolve any labor policy issues that impede a smooth return to work.

AMADORI

Company summer camps in June and July

In 2020, the Amadori agri-food group launched the Artexplora summer camp project for employees' children aged between 3 and 14, from the time schools closed until the end of July.

Company summer camps are available in San Vittore di Cesena and Santa Sofia (in the province of Forlì-Cesena) and Mosciano S. Angelo (Teramo), at the group's three main production facilities. The project is part of the company-funded corporate welfare initiatives. A total of 800 participants were enrolled in 2025. The goal is to create a more peaceful working environment for employees, providing their children with educational experiences such as English language workshops, music, theater, and sports workshops, shows and exhibitions, and summer homework help. In 2025, multimedia journalism workshops and carpentry, sewing, and ceramics workshops were offered, as well as recreational activities with grandparents. The agreement with Artexplora has been renewed until 2028. Children with disabilities are supported by specialized educators.

FILENI

Timesitter to be booked for daily services

A timesitter who collaborates with local suppliers to support workers and employees with a range of daily tasks , from car washing to purchasing fruit and vegetables, from picking up medication to booking specialist appointments. This is the service offered by Fileni , a company founded in 1965 in the Marche region and operating in the meat sector, to its approximately 2,000 employees (both blue-collar and white-collar) based in the region. The service began in the first half of 2024 and is still ongoing, initially funded by the "Conciliamo" call for proposals from the Department for Family Policies. The company intends to continue it with its own funding.

In a company with employees of 50 nationalities, the timesitter also supports workers by translating documents and assisting with administrative procedures.

Alongside this project, Fileni has fully adopted a smart working policy that provides for four to 12 days of flexible working per month, depending on the role.