Essex Energy Italy completely transformed its Quattordio plant to host a Family Day for its employees, their family, and selected guests from the local community. The festival was held recently and had a renewed excitement after limiting attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Plant tours were a highlight for children and family members of employees and paired well with loads of entertainment opportunities for the 200-plus attendees. Essex Energy Italy created a ‘family-style’ seating arrangement to foster a sense of community and served hamburgers—and veggie burgers—along with chicken wings, and plenty of cold beverages. One vendor offered farinata—a popular Italian street food made with chickpeas—that many attendees could not put down.
Family Day was coordinated by Ilaria Pozzi, HR Business Partner Italy, and Plant Manager, Vito Cicala but took the whole team working together in order to create the special environment.
“It was really wonderful,” Pozzi said. “We had former teammates come back, children wanting to see where their parents worked, and so much excitement at the plant.
“I was so happy with how it all came together.”
Families participated in games and other celebrations while interacting with teammates outside of work. Children were delighted with face painting stations, cotton candy, and gifts from the HR team. Employees were also given a gift as appreciation.
Local vendors had inflatable rides and stands, offering a diverse range of activities for attendees to explore and support. The Essex Energy Italy team also invited external collaborators, recently retired employees, and pets!
“It was nice to see how proudly people showed their workplaces to their families,” Cicala said. “Sharing the spaces of our plant with their families made it even more perceived as our home, and not just the place where we work.
“This is what we needed, a healthy sense of attachment and caring that should be common to all. For the first time in many years, we can bring an optimistic view of the future, with the knowledge that difficult challenges lie ahead but that we have all the cards to overcome them.”
The team contracted with local agencies for food, animation for children, logistics and security through Corrado Cozzo to continue strengthening the bond with the community.
Family Day provided memorable experiences for everyone involved and demonstrated an ability to adapt to the changing times to create a safe—and enjoyable—environment for all. The event was a testament to the leadership group at Essex Energy Italy and its commitment to its team morale, the local community, and a shared dedication in fostering a sense of togetherness.
Elisa Sestito, HR Coordinator of People Development in Europe, has heard nothing but positive feedback from the day.
“Everyone keeps telling me how great the food was or how much fun their kids were having—which caused them to miss out on the food,” she said. “I think that both are great answers!”
