Rethinking work-family balance in Italy: case studies and innovative strategies

ABSTRACT: Promoting work–life balance is nowadays a priority of public policies: it is considered in global recommendations (the SDGs by the UN) and national policies (in Italy, for example, it is part of the National Plan of Recovery and Resilience). However, the public measures that are implemented are insufficient to guarantee employees a good work–life balance, and organisations have understood that planning through ‘corporate family responsibility’ schemes can lead to several economic benefits. Thus, considering the needs of individuals and the challenges imposed by society and by the COVID-19 pandemic, the article constitutes an exploratory study that presents two case studies of organisational welfare in Italy to reflect upon the efficacy of corporate family responsibility activities. The research considers companies as places made up of human relations among social actors that can contribute to the formation of a society based on people and the value they can create.