Supporting young people in achieving psychological and financial well-being

Training is important to accompany them in developing a flexible and successful mindset. But there is also the other side of the coin: we are used to talking about wellbeing as a concept, encompassing physical and mental, psychological and social health, but we often forget how much, especially for young people, the choices that affect their future economic wellbeing are crucial to ensure serenity. This is why it is essential to promote financial and welfare education, which enables young people to acquire skills that will help them make responsible decisions and understand the workings of the economic system in which they will be placed.

In this scenario, pension provision is a central issue. Only 19% of young people really know what it means and what opportunities it offers. At the same time, there is growing interest in short-term forms of investment, which are perceived as more attractive. Making people understand that there is already capital at their disposal - the severance pay - and that this can be managed through supplementary pensions means transforming a concept perceived as remote ('I will need it when I finish my working life') into a concrete investment lever for the future. Indeed, pension provision is not only a long-term guarantee: having a basis of security also has a positive impact on psychological well-being and serenity in the present. It makes it possible to undertake family planning on a more secure basis.

It is in this perspective that Previverso's commitment is set, which has initiated a dialogue with companies, institutions and HR directors, creating training programmes and projects designed to bring employees' children closer to the subject of retirement provision from birth. This is one of the ways to reduce the knowledge and cultural gap that still separates young people from fully understanding the need to plan for their economic independence.

The discussion with the institutions led to the presentation of concrete proposals. These include the introduction of silent consent with the right to opt out, the provision of compulsory pension and financial training courses, the possibility of contributions by family members to young people's positions, the portability of the employer's contribution, and the 'pension company certification' from an ESG perspective. These are all measures that aim to build a modern and inclusive pension model, capable of combining the ability to attract and retain talent with individual and collective wellbeing.

The results achieved in the first year of activity testify to the effectiveness of this approach. More than 100 companies have joined the training projects, involving more than 200 HR directors, CEOs and academics. Experiences that show that knowledge is the prerequisite for action. Companies must rethink training, moving from a transmissive logic to a transformative one, in which relationships, intuition, talent and attention to the uniqueness of the person are central.

The challenges for the coming years are threefold: to disseminate training in an increasing number of companies, to introduce specific courses in universities that integrate social security, financial and psychological skills, and, finally, to consolidate the role of operational interlocutor of the institutions, bringing virtuous examples already realised. Only in this way will it be possible to build a more solid social security future, capable of giving security to young people, value to companies and stability to the country.

President Talents in Motion and co-founder of Previverso