Photography

Work, for more than one in two employees, career is not a priority. Desire to disconnect grows

In the Censis-Eudaimon report on corporate welfare, four out of ten workers fear being replaced by artificial intelligence, more than half think their company's managers put more trust in new technologies than in workers

by Giorgio Pogliotti

24 February 2026

Il nono Rapporto Censis-Eudaimon sul welfare aziendale, realizzato con il contributo di Campari, Credem, Edison e Michelin restituisce una fotografia dell’impatto che stanno avendo le nuove tecnologie sul mercato del lavoro e del nuovo approccio delle nuove generazioni nei confronti del lavoro, che spostano l’accento sulla qualità dell’ambiente lavorativo

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

For the majority, the conditions exist to reduce the working week
Career is not a priority
Young people: no texting, e-mails or out-of-hours calls
With work one does not become wealthy for the majority of the sample
Fear of AI and distrust of social media

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

For more than half of the employees, making a career is not a priority. The share of those who answer emails and phone calls outside working hours prevails, but not among young people, who in the majority practice the right to disconnect. Four out of ten fear being replaced by artificial intelligence, but more than half think that their company's managers put more trust in new technologies than in workers. The majority prefer to work in a company whose values they share, even though they would be paid more in other companies.

The ninth Censis-Eudaimon Report on Corporate Welfare, produced with the contribution of Campari, Credem, Edison and Michelin, provides a snapshot of the impact that new technologies are having on the labour market and of the new approach of the new generations towards work, who are shifting the emphasis to the quality of the working environment.

For the majority, the conditions exist to reduce the working week

For 71.3% of the sample surveyed, the technological and economic conditions are in place to cut the time spent on work, e.g. the four-day working week. This opinion is shared by 82.8% of 18-34 year olds, 72.9% of 35-49 year olds and 64% of those aged 50 and over. For 88.2% of the employed, having more time for themselves and their well-being should be a right for everyone.

Career is not a priority

For 55.1% of the employees, making a career is not a priority in life, it is for 33.8%, while 11.1% do not express an opinion. For 64.7% of employees, it happens that they lose the sense of their work, conceived only as a source of income. For 44.7% of the employed, work is more of an obligation than a passion, for 42.7% it is not and 12.6% do not have an opinion.

51.1% of employed persons would prefer to work in a company whose values they share even if they would be paid more in other companies. 26.9% do not and 22% do not know.

Young people: no texting, e-mailing or out-of-hours calls

Receiving e-mails, messages and phone calls outside working hours generates anxiety for 45.8% of the employed. This is why 43.9% have chosen to practise the 'right to disconnect', not answering e-mails, messages and phone calls outside working hours, 49.3% continue to do so and 6.8% have not made a choice in this respect. They do not reply to e-mails and messages outside working hours 57.7% of young people, 47.5% of those aged 35-49 and 33.7% of those over 50.

With work, one does not become wealthy for the majority of the sample

For 57.7% of the employed their pay is not adequate for the work they do, 36.1% are satisfied with it, 6.2% do not give an opinion. For 55.4% of the employed, their salary does not allow them to save, for 35.0% it does and 9.6% give no indication. For 52.4% of the employed with work one does not become wealthy in life, 29.8% do not agree and 17.8% do not know. 78.9% of the employed do not feel valued enough in their work and 62.2% do not have sufficient autonomy.

Frequent change of companies is for 32.5% of the employed more effective than loyalty to a single company in order to obtain higher salaries, 38% disagree and 29.5% still have no opinion on this. 68.3% of the employed experience 'fatigue', with extreme psychophysical and emotional tiredness at work, 27.8% do not and 3.9% have no answer. 54% of workers have experienced ergophobia at least once, i.e. being afraid of going to work. 21.7% of those in employment happen to suffer from impostor syndrome, doubting their own skills and achievements, constantly seeking the approval of others.

Fear of AI and distrust of social

36.7 per cent of Italian employees use AI in their work, 59.7 per cent do not and 3.6 per cent do not answer this question. 42.6% of employees fear that AI may replace them in their work and 55.3% think that their company's managers put more trust in new technologies than in their workers. Social media project an attractive idea of work, made up of freedom, travel and personal success that 64.4% of employees consider misleading, unreal and untrue (15.6% do not and 20% have not yet formulated an opinion on the matter).

Giorgio PogliottiRedattore esperto
- @gpogliotti
- Email
Lingue parlate: italiano e inglese
Argomenti: mercato del lavoro, relazioni industriali, formazione, welfare
Scheda autore
Trust project