Adriano Olivetti‘s vision of the company was profoundly innovative, grounded in a humanistic approach where profit was not the only goal, but a means to improve society and the well-being of workers.

For Olivetti, the company should not just be a place of production, but a true community where people could grow both professionally and personally. He believed that the well-being of employees was fundamental to the success of the business, and he invested heavily in the quality of the work environment.

Olivetti was a pioneer in creating a workplace that considered the needs of people. Among his most significant initiatives were:

• Flexible and shorter working hours compared to the industry average.

• Higher salaries than competitors, to ensure economic dignity for workers.

• Employee services, such as high-quality cafeterias, company daycare, and free healthcare.

• Innovative workspaces, with factories designed to be bright, spacious, and pleasant to work in.

Olivetti believed that industrial growth should go hand in hand with cultural and social development. This is why he promoted the spread of culture among employees, financing libraries, training courses, and high-level publications.

Olivetti’s model should still be a reference today for companies that want to combine innovation, productivity, and attention to people. His vision anticipated key themes we consider central today, such as corporate welfare, corporate social responsibility, and the concept of work-life balance.

“I read here on LinkedIn not long ago that ‘an entrepreneur’s free time is an asset to the company.’ True. I’d like to add that the employee’s free time is also an asset to the company (Google teaches us this lesson).”

Unfortunately, many companies (especially in Italy) seem to have forgotten these lessons, prioritizing short-term profit at the cost of human value. However, embracing Olivetti’s model might be the key to building more sustainable, innovative companies that can have a positive impact on society.

We should ask ourselves: do we want companies that squeeze the life out of people, or companies that value them? The future depends on the answer to this question.