Work, Italians want higher wages and security. Does it seem obvious to you? Yet it is not so

The salary, of course. But also safety . It is an Italy that is increasingly attentive to the quality, ethics and safety of the working environment, as well as to remuneration, that emerges from the opinion poll “Italians and work” , conducted by the Piepoli Institute on behalf of the Foundation for the Studies of Labour Consultants.

For Italians, in fact, the increase in wages (63%) and safety at work (60%) are the two priorities. A real Copernican revolution compared to the past years, when at the top of the wish list were employment growth (today at 35%) or the reduction of precariousness (31%).

Wages then. Ever more eroded and meager. For 43% of Italians, the main cause of the loss of purchasing power of wages is inflation and the responsibility to combat this phenomenon falls on businesses (46%), followed by unions (35%). As for safety, contrary to what one might say, Italian workers promote institutions, and companies do well. Attention to safety at work is in fact perceived as having increased in recent years, especially by institutions (41% believe it has grown), but also by companies (26%).

The unions, on the other hand, receive a more lukewarm evaluation (22%), with a slight positive balance. Among other data, it emerges that 52% of workers feel protected in their workplace and 7 out of 10 (71%) declare that they regularly participate in mandatory training courses on safety, organized by the company they work for. A figure that is significantly improved compared to the past and that testifies to a growing culture of prevention in the workplace, also the result of the many measures adopted in this area. Shared responsibility for safety.

When asked who should be primarily responsible for workplace safety, Italians are divided: 51% attribute the main responsibility to companies , while 40% emphasize the need for a shared commitment between employers and workers. The report also asks how to facilitate the conciliation of work and private life. In this regard, 51% of those interviewed indicate as a priority the expansion of the offer of facilities such as nursery schools, followed by more company services (21%).

Finally, the ever-present topic of artificial intelligence, which at the moment seems to be perceived not as a threat but as an opportunity: 58% of Italians (66% among young people) say they are in favor of its use to increase competitiveness at work. Even among the over 54s, there is a growing openness.