Ferrero is the ideal employer for Italians in Randstad's ranking

The dream of a fixed job until retirement does not concern everyone. Because four out of ten Italian workers have changed jobs in the last six months or intend to do so shortly. Motivating this choice is salary, but also the right balance between work and private life. This is what emerges from the Randstad survey ( Randstad Employer Brand Research) involving 171,000 respondents and 6400 companies in 34 countries globally, and which interviewed in Italy over 7500 people (employed and non-employed) between the ages of 18 and 64 on the perceived attractiveness of 150 potential employer companies, through an independent survey in which no company can voluntarily sign up to participate.

"In an employer they look first for work-life balance (top of their preferences and increasingly important year after year) and then for a pleasant working atmosphere, attractive pay, job security and diversity and inclusion," Randstad reports. "But in times of high inflation, salary is far from secondary: only less than half of Italian employees feel adequately remunerated and insufficient remuneration is the first reason for leaving their current job.

The scenario that emerges is one of change. In 2025, the distance between generations is widening, with Generation Z "expressing preferences, expectations and habits that differ from all the others". "If on average 13% of Italians have changed jobs in the last six months," we read, "members of Gen Z have done so in 17% of cases, a rate almost three times higher than Baby Boomers (6%)". When choosing their ideal employer, Gen Z places less value on job security and more on training and development opportunities. In their search for a new job, they rely more on LinkedIn - Google and less on relational networks. They feel they belong more to minorities (34%, compared to 23% on average) and emphasise more the importance of diversity and inclusion in organisations.

"The work-life balance is becoming increasingly important in people's priorities, even if in a period of uncertainty and high cost of living salary remains fundamental in the choice to change jobs," comments Marco Ceresa, Group CEO of Randstad. Workers' preferences vary greatly depending on their professional specialisation and above all on their age: Gen Z highlights different priorities, needs, career stages and behaviours, highlighting the need for increasingly targeted and diversified Employer Branding strategies, to capture specific needs, in order to attract and retain talent in a competition that is becoming increasingly fierce even between different sectors'.

The research shows that Ferrero is the ideal employer for Italians: "With 68.5% of preferences, the Alba-based company ranks first in the preferences of workers and was awarded the Randstad Employer Brand 2025 today - the study report continues -. In addition, the latest edition of the survey awarded the ten companies that have distinguished themselves for their attractiveness within their specific sectors of reference: ABB is the most attractive company as an employer in electronics, Automobili Lamborghini in automotive, Brembo in automotive components, Chiesi Farmaceutici in pharmaceuticals, EssilorLuxottica in metallurgy, Mondadori Group in media, IBM in ICT, Italo in transport, Leonardo in aeronautics and Maugeri in healthcare".