Milan, 3 June 2026 – How Lombardy’s businesses are managing corporate welfare, generational turnover, and the integration of artificial intelligence: the 2026 edition of the Labour Survey ‘Numbers for Human Resources’, conducted by Confindustria Lombardia in collaboration with the 9 Lombard territorial associations on a sample of approximately 800 companies, provides useful insights into the actions and strategies adopted by Lombardy’s businesses in human resources management.

The survey, conducted annually by the Confindustria System among member companies, was presented today via a webinar introduced by the General Secretary of Confindustria Lombardia Alina Candu, followed by in-depth analysis of the research by Andrea Fioni, Senior Expert – Assolombarda Research Centre, and Davide Fedreghini, Expert – Confindustria Brescia Research Centre.

“The research shows that the Lombardy business system is also facing a transition in the labour market: corporate welfare is consolidating as a widespread right, through additional contributions from companies for their employees. Human capital management is increasingly intergenerational: companies are building solid bridges between young and senior staff. Under-30s are supported through training and mentoring programmes, while over-60s are valued by transforming their experience into a key resource for business continuity. At the same time, hybrid working is establishing itself as the new normal, and the adoption of artificial intelligence is accelerating. Particularly significant is the commitment of SMEs to training staff in new technologies, demonstrating an adaptability and strategic vision that looks to the future with optimism,” stated the General Secretary of Confindustria Lombardia Alina Candu.

Corporate testimonials from Monica Chiari, Executive Manager People & Culture – Cameo Spa, Giulia Roman, HR Manager – S.T. System Truck S.p.A., and Federico Valtolina, Industrial Relations Manager – ABB, moderated by journalist Claudio Tucci, fuelled the debate on the concrete changes that are redefining the organisation and the world of work.

LOMBARDY - SURVEY RESULTS (read the Report)

CORPORATE WELFARE:

• present in 84% of Lombardy’s companies, of which 36% offer the possibility of converting company bonuses into welfare (an opportunity taken up by 38% of employees);
• 54% of companies that provide corporate welfare to their employees unilaterally offer an additional credit (welfare on top), amounting to an average of €576;
• among the services most frequently provided by companies are supplementary health insurance (61%), shopping vouchers (55%), meal vouchers (52%), and services related to supplementary pension schemes (45%).

AGE MANAGEMENT:

Young people under 30 account for 13.6% of the workforce in Lombardy’s companies, compared to 8.3% for those over 60.

Under 30s: the most common actions are involvement in intergenerational mentoring/shadowing programmes with more senior staff (61% of companies with under-30 staff), initial training and dedicated onboarding programmes (57%), and career development paths (55%).

Over 60s: 64% of companies with over-60 staff have implemented (or plan to implement) 1 or 2 actions, while the remaining 23% provide for a combination of 3 or more actions. The most common actions are flexible working hours (reported by 57% of companies with over-60 staff) and the search for profiles to replace them after retirement (44%).

• Approximately a quarter of companies with over-60 staff provide for ergonomic adjustments to the workplace, while 18% offer upskilling / reskilling programmes. 10% of companies provide for involvement in mentoring and shadowing programmes for younger staff.

SMART WORKING:

8.2% of Lombardy’s companies use smart working, and on average 36% of eligible workers take advantage of it.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:

The number of Lombardy’s companies that have adopted or are considering adopting artificial intelligence solutions is growing (from 59% to 64%). HR commitment to adapting staff skills is also increasing, especially in smaller companies: 27% of companies with fewer than 25 employees are now engaged in training their staff (compared to 17% in 2024).

Attachments

‍Confindustria Lombardia Labour Survey Presentation - 3 June webinar.pdf

‍3 June 2026 webinar programme.pdf