The investigation

For Italians pay and safety priority in work

Significant differences between geographical areas and age groups. Poorly perceived dissemination of professional ethics in companies

by Matteo Prioschi

30 May 2025

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3' min read

Key points

Salaries
Purchasing power
Security
Ethics and Sustainability

3' min read

Wage increases and security are the work-related priorities for Italians, according to a survey carried out by the Piepoli Institute and presented during the first day of the Festival del lavoro, the event organised by the National Council of the Order and the Study Foundation of consulenti del lavoro, which takes place from 29 to 31 May in Genoa.

Salaries

According to the survey, whileincreasing wages is a priority for 63% of the sample and security for 60%, employment growth (35% of multiple answers), reducing precariousness (31%), training (23%) and acquiring new skills (12%) are less relevant.

The analysis by age groups and territorial areas reveals some interesting differences. Increasing wages is top of the list for 66% of older people, for 63% of 35-54 year olds, but only for 56% of 18-34 year olds. Security is a priority for 70% of older people, for only 52% of 35-54 year olds, and for 56% of younger people.

The growth of employment, which at a national level is a priority for 35% of respondents, falls to 29% in the North East while it rises to 38% in the North West. This area is also the most sensitive to the reduction of precariousness 36%, a priority that in the North East stops at 27%, falls to 25% in the Centre and rises to 35% in the South and islands. As for safety, it ranges from 55% in the South and islands to 71% in the Centre.

Purchasing power

The need to adjust pay slips upwards stems from the loss of purchasing power that has occurred over the years due to inflation, according to 43% of respondents. Other causes include the low growth of the economy (20%), companies' unwillingness to take action by supplementing with goods and services (12%), delayed renewal of contracts (12%) and weak trade unions (9%). Here too there are marked territorial differences (also between the North West and North East), while those by age group are less marked. Responsibility for the failure to adjust wages to the cost of living is attributed mainly to companies 46% and secondarily to trade unions (35%).

Security

As for the attention paid to safety at work, there has been an increase (very or fairly) in recent years on the part of institutions for 41% of the respondents, on the part of companies for only 26% of the sample and on the part of trade unions for 22%. 29% responded that they do not participate inmandatory safety training courses. Despite this, 52% of Italians, with no major differences by age group, feel fairly or very protected in the workplace (61% in the North East, 47% in the North West, 45% in the South and Islands, 59% in the Centre). To improve the situation they would like more controls (65%), compliance with compulsory training (51%) and information (33%). But safety should mainly be a matter for the company (51% of responses), while for 40% it should be shared with the workers.

Ethics and Sustainability

The perception of the spread of professional ethics in companies is not particularly positive: 10% believe that it is not there, 51% that it is not very widespread, 30% quite a lot and 4% very much. However, 46% of Italians would be willing to give up up to 5% of their salary to work in a company that strictly respects ethics and sustainability (only 40% among 35-54 year olds, 41% in the North), while another 9% would sacrifice up to 10% of their salary.