What is corporate welfare, and how does this valuable tool improve employee well-being?
If you’re curious about corporate welfare and how it functions, you’re in the right place! Corporate welfare refers to the non-monetary benefits a company provides to enhance the quality of life for its employees.
It’s essential to focus on corporate welfare, its operations in 2023 and its main goal: improving the well-being of employees and their families. In addition to offering various benefits, corporate welfare can contribute to increased company performance, which often correlates directly with employee well-being.
So, what exactly is corporate welfare, how does it operate in practice, and what are the most valuable and popular initiatives in our country? We will address all these questions in this article!
Corporate Welfare: How Does It Work?
The simplest definition of “corporate welfare” refers to various activities designed to enhance the overall well-being of a company’s employees and their families. This includes initiatives that increase employees’ purchasing power and promote a healthy work-life balance. When implemented thoughtfully and intentionally, these actions can significantly improve the corporate environment and boost employee motivation and performance.
To better understand corporate welfare, let’s examine its applications and explore some popular initiatives. Examples include meal vouchers, shopping vouchers, company cars, and tailored insurance plans. We will discuss these details further in the final section. First, let’s examine the benefits of these types of initiatives.
Benefits for Employees and Companies
A well-structured corporate welfare plan offers numerous advantages for both employees and companies. Improving the corporate environment enhances employees’ motivation and productivity. When employees feel that the company genuinely cares about their psychological and physical well-being, they feel more valued and are better able to achieve common goals with less stress.
This enhanced employee satisfaction also benefits the company, increasing performance and productivity while making it more attractive for talent retention and recruitment. According to the SME Welfare Index Report 2022, companies with a high level of corporate welfare report greater profits compared to those with basic welfare approaches. The research highlighted by Forbes from 2019 to 2022 shows that companies providing benefits to their employees experienced a median turnover increase of 37%, more than double the 18% increase in companies without welfare programs. Furthermore, decreased absenteeism and reduced employee turnover are often indicators of the effectiveness of a corporate welfare plan.
Fiscal Advantages
Understanding the tax benefits associated with corporate welfare initiatives is essential to understanding how they operate. Article 51 of the Testo Unico delle Imposte sui Redditi (TUIR), the primary legislation governing this area, guides companies that use National Collective Labour Agreements (CCNL) and wish to retain the associated benefits.
The main advantage of these initiatives is that, depending on the specific CCNL, costs incurred in providing welfare services can be partially or fully deductible. This deduction helps reduce a company’s taxable income.
In some cases, offering benefits, reimbursements, or vouchers may be mandatory for companies. Such requirements typically arise from stipulations found in the relevant CCNL or company regulations, especially in the following sectors:
- Metalworkers
- Telecommunications workers
- Goldsmiths and jewellers
- Nursing home staff
- Care workers
Corporate Welfare: The Most Popular Benefits
To effectively understand corporate welfare and its functionality, we can outline our country’s most common benefits or perks. In recent years, the number of companies that have already implemented or are in the process of establishing a welfare plan for their employees has been rapidly increasing.
Meal Vouchers
Meal vouchers are by far the most popular corporate welfare benefit. According to an IPSOS survey, 70% of Italian companies provide employee meal vouchers. These vouchers have recently become more advantageous, as the deductibility ceiling was raised from €7 to €8 for the digital format following the approval of the Budget Law 2020.
Vouchers
This benefit is highly requested, with 52% of surveyed employees expressing a preference for vouchers. Data from Edenred indicates that voucher issuance increased by 30% from 2019 to 2020, and this trend continues.
The appeal of this welfare option lies in its significant tax benefits. For employees, gift vouchers valued at less than €258.23 (for those without children) and €3,000 (for those with children) are not taxable. The costs related to providing this benefit are fully deductible for employers as they are classified as employment expenses, whether as fringe benefits or as rewards and incentives.
Additionally, this type of corporate welfare is popular because it allows employees to choose how to spend the funds they receive.
If you are a business owner, consider distributing Young Platform vouchers to your employees or offering this option as an alternative. This approach enhances their well-being and helps them maintain their purchasing power over time, which can be impacted by inflation and the devaluation of the euro, primarily through crypto investments.
Technological Devices
This category encompasses all necessary tools, such as PCs and smartphones, provided to employees to help them perform their tasks effectively. According to IPSOS, 38% of companies supply their employees with the essential software and hardware they need. This practice has grown significantly in response to the rise of remote working.
Insurance Policies and Healthcare
Corporate welfare initiatives can also take various forms, including health insurance, reimbursement of medical expenses, access to free or discounted healthcare services, and life insurance.
Company Car
This benefit refers to a vehicle granted for business use, which does not usually impact tax and contribution obligations. Sometimes, the car may also be available for personal use, and taxation is applied based on a conventional value. These examples illustrate the types of benefits companies provide, helping clarify corporate welfare and its operation. If you want to learn more about distributing vouchers to your company’s employees through Young Platform, please contact the team at [email protected].
Related Article
Download the Young Platform app
