The power of sense of belonging
At Vetropack, we have always considered people to be the key element behind our success, and for a diversified organisation such as ours to function at its best, it is necessary to build a supportive and open-minded environment. That is why we try to involve our employees in the company's goals and strategies and try to continuously sponsor our values. This approach, not only has an impact on the working climate and productivity of the individual, but it also indirectly affects the company's ability to innovate and has repercussions on our customer’s satisfaction.
In the current market context, creating a working environment where people truly feel part of something is not an option but a necessity. This leads us to value the different backgrounds of our human resources, to welcome and recognise uniqueness, to hold in high regard differences as a source of enrichment, and to encourage teamwork. Only when individuals can express themselves freely, can they manifest greater creativity, and commit to increased productivity. To foster this strategic orientation, in recent years, Vetropack has adopted a positive leadership approach, capable of embracing change and looking to the future with confidence while seeking to transmit this commitment to all its employees, enticing them to achieve common goals with enthusiasm and full participation.
Vetropack Italia: how it has strengthened employees’ engagement
This year, Vetropack Italia has invested heavily in internal initiatives aimed at increasing a sense of belonging. Being appreciated, feeling an integral part of a team, an organisation and a corporate culture, are decisive factors in consolidating an inclusive and increasingly positive climate. In the last 18 months, the Italian plant of Vetropack has had to face continuous changes, from the adoption of new technologies to the evolution of organisational structures. In this scenario of constant adaptation, encouraging a strong sense of belonging has become an anchor that has offered stability and security to all our employees.
Since last June, Vetropack Italia has therefore started numerous activities aimed at celebrating the uniqueness of its employees and their importance within the organisation. The mission was to introduce projects to create an even better working environment. Two groups of employees, with different targets, dedicated themselves to their development and implementation.
«The well being of people at work and beyond is a priority for Vetropack. There is always room for improvement and we are committed to finding and implementing them.»
Group Communication & Performance
All the planned projects were significant, but some had greater impact. For instance, the possibility of sending ‘feedback’ to the company has been standardized; an opportunity for Vetropack and its employees to keep in touch at all times, and have a constructive dialogue aimed at continuous improvement. A total transparency approach that, we hope, will foster mutual growth and development.
In addition, we are sponsoring a customised version of a ‘role-play’ as part of our team building process. Each employee, in fact, has the opportunity to live the life of a colleague for 4 hours to develop a greater awareness of the various roles, responsibilities and processes. ‘Taking on’, even for a very short time, the role of a colleague, leads to stronger relationships because this experience becomes very meaningful, leading “the guest” to fully understand the dynamics, criticalities etc. of that specific role/department.
Elisa Campolo and Valeria Peri, both employed in the Sales Customer Office of Vetropack Italia, agree on the value of this project, stating, "This project is very useful to see how colleagues deal with daily challenges. It helps to look at the business from a different perspective thus, some business processes may become clearer and perhaps useful insights may arise to identify solutions to optimise the overall workflow. And last but not least, it can certainly contribute to a more cohesive working environment."
But that's not all: not only was a company Book Crossing inaugurated, but there was also a desire to celebrate the uniqueness of our employees through a multicultural culinary event. For a month, one day every week, the company restaurant, in addition to the traditional menu, offered a typical dish from some of the countries of origin of foreign-born colleagues as a way to celebrate diversity and, of course, to experience the taste of international cuisine.
«The added value of this project is the knowledge, in other words, what our well-done work entails in their department and vice versa. And since each department is connected to another, I believe it is an experience everyone should have.»
Group Health & Safety
Actions aimed at improving the working environment in terms of health and safety could not go missing. Some activities immediately emerged as priorities, so they have already been implemented to help colleagues have more regenerative and healthy working breaks. Firstly, a restyling of our break area was suggested. Furthermore, walking groups and fruit corners were set up throughout the company. In addition, random interviews were carried out to gather further recommendations for further improvement.
So, no fear! Although 2024 is coming to an end, the path to continuous improvement undertaken by Vetropack will continue throughout 2025 (and beyond!) with new projects and initiatives.
