The concept of sustainability is linked not only to environmental impacts, but also to notions such as well-being and corporate welfare. This is where Mozzanica's initiative has its origins: to address the personnel shortage with ad hoc professional growth plans for both junior and senior employees.
Can corporate sustainability solve seemingly unrelated problems? Let's take, for example, the difficulty (increasingly evident and pervasive across all sectors) of finding qualified personnel: how is it possible to find a solution in a sustainable way?
But first, let's take a step back and analyze where the problem originates:
Low birth rate: According to Eurostat data, over the last 20 years, the European Union has lost 4.4 million people in the 30-34 age range, which is currently the transition group between youth and adulthood. Of these, 1.1 million were in Italy, a figure that corresponds to almost a third of the weakening of the European workforce entering their prime working age.- Difficulty entering the workforce, further exacerbated by lack of skills and training, especially in fields that are the main concerns these days, from the green transition to digitalization; challenges that should be overcome through competitive and sustainable growth of companies and organizations.
- Low birth rate and the increase (in this case, common across all EU countries) in longevity have created in Italy one of the worst combinations of a low percentage of those aged 30-34 with a higher education degree and a high percentage of NEET, that is, those who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (25.7% in 2022 against an EU-27 average of 15.7%).
- The combination of the three previous factors leads to the lack of development of a societal role (family and therefore birth rate) of the new generations. It is no coincidence that the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, in his end-of-year speech, stated:
“In such a scenario, young people feel out of place. Disoriented, perhaps even alienated (...). A disorientation caused by seeing a world that ignores their expectations (...). A dynamic society such as the current one increasingly needs young people and their hopes and ability to grasp what is new."
It's a vicious cycle that in Italy is already in a sort of downward, self-perpetuating loop. While waiting for Italian political actors to become aware of the need for a structured intervention that goes from policies encouraging childbirth (as is the case in France, for example) to projects aimed at reintegrating young resources such as NEETs (the German example of Jugend stärken im quartier speaks volumes), private companies have begun seeking solutions, realizing the crucial importance of two factors:
- The presence of an HR manager integrated into company processes and in close contact with stakeholders who can promote projects capable of integrating sustainability to attract young talent and qualified individuals.
- Economic growth and the various aspects of corporate sustainability (respect for the environment, employee welfare, and positive social impact) must grow hand in hand.
Not surprisingly, for over 30 years Top Employers Institute has been conducting an analysis of many businesses’ approaches to corporate welfare, highlighting their results and annually compiling a ranking of the best companies that protect employees with initiatives related to their well-being in various corporate areas (People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Well-being, and Diversity & Inclusion, plus over 400 Best Practices). These initiatives serve as tools both to attract new resources and to retain those already working in the company (147 Italian companies have been named "Top Employers Italia 2024").
This approach is applicable to all productive sectors, but the most specialized and technologically advanced ones are those that can derive the greatest benefits from it. Mozzanica is proof of this. In an extremely specialized sector such as fire protection, in fact, Mozzanica implements a policy of people appreciation, which is developed in various areas, including training and talent acquisition, to facilitate the entry of both young hires and those who are already trained and experienced in the fire protection sector.
The different approaches between junior and senior employees
The crucial value of professional growth is presented right from the start to junior figures entering the company. They are selected through 3 interviews, in which there is a focus on the individual's soft skills and the professional growth plan is presented (which can start with an apprenticeship contract and involves being mentored by a senior figure who guides the young person along the training path).
Furthermore, for those aspiring to technical roles, Mozzanica explains from the start that the technical training path in fire protection (both in the office and as a technician) is long and complex, composed of numerous training steps, and that the company is willing to support the young person who wants to invest in themselves, with training programs including an apprenticeship, education, mentorship by seniors, and eventual subsequent growth plans.
It is a separate discussion, however, for senior figures, for whom Mozzanica implements a series of activities that prioritize their well-being at work, as well as further professional and career growth, to retain them in the company in the long term.
It goes without saying that Mozzanica's approach is forward-thinking in addressing a challenge that will become increasingly tangible and impactful. It is a vision resulting from a family management style that places the younger generations at the center, starting from the founding family itself in which the founder Natale Mozzanica is carefully and sensitively managing the entry of his children Jordan and Stacey into the company.