5 questions to...
Alessia D'Addario
Interview with the Group Chief Human Resources & Organization Officer of Engineering.
Alessia D'Addario is the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of the Engineering Group.
After earning a degree in Political Science from LUISS University in Rome, she immediately began working in Human Resources management, accumulating over twenty years of experience across various sectors – retail, manufacturing, telecommunications – both in Italy and abroad, contributing to the organizational, leadership, and cultural transformation of several companies.
1. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO MAKE A COMPANY INCREASINGLY FOCUSED ON HUMAN CAPITAL?
ENG has always prioritized people and their skills. For us, being a human capital-oriented company means providing every individual with the opportunity to take charge of their work experience and development by enhancing both technical and behavioral skills and abilities.
We adopt a performance evaluation system based on continuous feedback, considering both the results achieved and the behaviors demonstrated to achieve them.
Through our Academy, we offer technical and methodological training, professional certifications, and managerial growth programs. We have a framework of competencies and career paths, with self-assessment tools to guide individual growth plans.
It also means expressing feedback through various methods—digital, in-person, or anonymous—to improve engagement and satisfaction in the work experience. This approach enables us to understand people’s needs and perspectives, ensuring a coordinated response and follow-up management. Examples include listening channels such as the annual Global People Survey "My Voice", in-person conversations with the CEO, DEI Communities, the Speaking Corner, and the Suggestion Box on our intranet.
Lastly, it involves experimenting with flexible work arrangements and offering services that address individual well-being needs, such as our corporate welfare plans. These include flexible benefits and offerings like gym and spa discounts to promote physical health.
2. WHAT IS THE PEOPLE STRATEGY 2025–2027?
In recent years, we have undertaken a significant evolution of our HR practices and strategies, as evidenced by our recent recognition as a Top Employer Italy 2025. The People Strategy embodies our ambitions, priority objectives, and initiatives to realize our purpose.
The 2025–2027 People Strategy aims to provide a work environment that is increasingly unique and distinctive, where every individual is valued, inspired, supported, and empowered to fully express their potential.
Practically, this means enabling people to work simply and effectively, develop future-proof skills, and collaborate with engaged and skilled colleagues who share passion and enthusiasm. It includes offering diverse career paths tailored to aspirations and strengths while accelerating the growth of managers and leaders.
3. ONE FACTOR THAT ATTRACTS YOUNGER GENERATIONS IS AN OFFERING BEYOND JUST SALARY, FOCUSING ON COMPANY CULTURE, PURPOSE, TRAINING, ETC. WHAT DOES ENG OFFER?
ENG fosters a corporate culture based on listening, inclusion, and diversity to create a motivating and respectful environment. We constantly work to align people’s perceptions with the company culture, ensuring our purpose is seen as authentic and deeply embedded in our behaviors.
We offer a rich portfolio of training and professional development opportunities at all levels. For young talent, we’ve developed a structured and highly qualified apprenticeship program, including exclusive sessions with ENG’s Leadership Team, who share their vision, provide valuable insights, and answer participants' questions directly.
We’ve introduced new learning paths for less tenured talents and launched the Leadership Academy to develop behavioral and leadership skills. ENG also provides flexible work policies and promotes company events to strengthen relationships among colleagues.
What truly makes me proud is seeing how, through our "My Voice" People Survey, employees enthusiastically highlight the strong connections they have with colleagues. Having someone to share successes with or ask for help makes a difference every day.
4. ENG’S HR DEPARTMENT INCLUDES A DEDICATED DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (DEI) TEAM. HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS IN TODAY’S WORKPLACES?
Investing in a dedicated DEI team is key to achieving our goal of becoming the most relevant Italian technology company. To deliver increasingly innovative solutions and bring technology closer to people every day, it is essential to have diverse perspectives at the table.
Diversity - be it in gender, sexual identity, ethnicity, education, or geographic origin - not only enriches the company but also has a tangible and positive impact on business. This is corroborated by numerous studies published by industry organizations.
The push for creating the DEI Team has been further strengthened by external stakeholders who recognize the positive impact of ESG initiatives, including DEI, on financial performance. Having in-house DEI expertise is also strategic for effectively collaborating with the public sector and promoting initiatives aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Our DEI Team collaborates across the company to apply a transversal DEI lens, integrating this mindset into our daily work. At ENG, DEI isn’t just an HR topic; it’s a holistic approach guiding our commitment to a more equitable and inclusive future.
5. WE LIVE IN A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING SOCIAL CONTEXT, WHICH ALSO AFFECTS WORK. HOW DOES ENG MANAGE CHANGE AND SUPPORT EMPLOYEES THROUGH ITS PHASES?
At ENG, we’ve implemented a structured and flexible methodology to manage change - organizational, technological, or cultural - with the goal of supporting transformation journeys. This methodology facilitates the adoption of new behaviors, reduces resistance, and maximizes results, drawing from international academic references.
Involving people from the outset, listening to them, and sharing progress are essential to transforming resistance into collaboration and accelerating change adoption. To this end, we organize recurring Global Town Halls of about an hour, during which all ENG employees connect online to hear results and updates directly from our CEO.
Subsequently, each Business Unit Leader holds All Hands meetings to reinforce key messages and delve deeper into discussed topics. To ensure clear and engaging communication at all levels, we’ve trained managers in cascade communication, believing it’s vital for everyone to feel informed and actively involved in transformation.
Additionally, we’ve created various networks of Change Agents/Ambassadors - key connectors between employees and management - fostering dialogue and alignment throughout the change process.
Our end-to-end approach ensures integrated coordination of change programs, encompassing various phases: from impact analysis to the design and implementation of targeted initiatives, including training activities, and monitoring adoption through specific KPIs. These KPIs enable recovery plans, if needed, to ensure the complete success of the change initiatives.
ENG has always prioritized people and their skills. For us, being a human capital-oriented company means providing every individual with the opportunity to take charge of their work experience and development.
Alessia D'Addario
Group Chief Human Resources & Organization Officer, Engineering
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