MOM, IS THIS WHERE YOU WORK?

You arrive at the office, say hello to your colleagues, sit down, switch on your computer — and then you see it.

Beside a desk, sitting close to their mother, there is a child. A little boy, or a little girl. His or her head bent over homework, turning the pages of a book, or carefully focused on a bracelet made of colourful beads.

Around them, phones ring, emails come in, someone walks past with a coffee in hand.

And yet, in that simple everyday moment, something shifts.

The atmosphere in the office changes. You find yourself smiling, almost without realising it. And you also find yourself thinking that, in the end, we are lucky: because not every workplace has room for moments like this.

Being able to bring your child to work is not something to be taken for granted.

At Edilteco, however, it can happen.

It happens when an unexpected situation makes it difficult to organise everything, and the solution is not to choose between work and children, but to find a way for the two to coexist — even just for one day.

It is not only a matter of organisation. It is culture.

The work life balance trend

Work-life balance is a personal kind of balance — one that changes according to our needs, the different stages of life, and everyday situations.

There are times when everything goes according to plan, and others when an unexpected family situation changes everything. When this can be experienced without discomfort, without feeling at fault, but simply as something to be handled calmly, then balance becomes something real.

Because life does not stop outside the office. And a company that recognises this is a healthier, stronger, and more human company.

Edilteco’s choice

There is no single solution that works for everyone. But there is an attitude based on listening, flexibility, and trust.

The possibility of bringing children into the company is not a written rule. It is an open door.

And the best people to tell this story are the Edilteco mothers who have experienced this openness first-hand.

Without having to choose

Elena Q.
“One morning, I brought my youngest son to the company and showed him where I work. For him, it was wonderful: he said that when he grows up, he wants to work at Edilteco, because everything here is so colourful.

So far, I have never really needed to make use of this possibility, but knowing that, if necessary, I could count on this kind of openness gives me great peace of mind. For a mother, this matters too: not having to face every unexpected situation with the anxiety of needing to justify everything.”

Elisa B.
“I consider myself lucky to work in a company that is attentive to the needs of mothers. I asked for — and was granted — the possibility of working 35 hours a week, seven hours a day, and I am very grateful for that.

Leaving at 4:30 p.m. instead of 6:00 p.m. makes a big difference to me: it means having more time for my children, taking them to their sports activities, and being present in their everyday lives, especially while they are still young. Before becoming a mother, full-time hours and the commute between home and work did not weigh on me; today, with children, everything carries a different weight.”

Claudia M.
“I used to bring my son to work many years ago, when we were still in the old headquarters. He was born in 1990 and I remember that, when he was seven or eight, he would spend time sitting next to me colouring. At some point he would say, ‘No more colouring!’

Back then, there were no mobile phones or tablets: to stay by my side for eight hours, all he had were his colours.”

“He still remembers it very clearly. For me, those are truly beautiful memories. One summer, he even came to help fill Politerm bags, and he absolutely loved the experience.”

Alice G.
“I haven’t brought my daughter to work yet, except for the Christmas lunch when she was only three weeks old. For now, she is still very little, but I think I will do it in the future.

Today I work seven hours a day and I can rely on flexible hours and smart working. I feel good here, and I know that is not something to be taken for granted. Before maternity leave, I used to travel abroad frequently for trade fairs: the company owners waited until I felt ready to start again, without obligations or pressure. To me, that is also what trust means.”

Elena T.
Especially during the summer, I have brought my daughter to work several times. For me, it gives peace of mind, and for her as well: she stays with me, sees where I work, observes what I do and the dynamics of the office. She organises herself with homework, has lunch with me, drinks coffee with us, and experiences the day naturally and peacefully.

For our family, it is a great help, especially because we can rely on only one grandparent for support. I bring her when there are no other options, particularly during periods when summer camps become difficult to manage.

Smart working, in this sense, is also a real lifesaver. When I was little, I sometimes went to my father’s office too, and I remember it as a pleasant experience. The first time, my daughter actually asked to come because she wanted to see where I worked.”

Altea L.
“I brought my daughter to work when I had no possibility of leaving her with someone else. Having her close to me made me feel calmer and supported: being able to count on something like this is not something to be taken for granted.

She was amazed: she had never imagined that I worked every day in such a large and bright environment. She was curious and interested, and for her it was a simple but meaningful way to see where I spend my days, meet the people I work with, and better understand what I do when I am not at home.

I believe that, for an employee, knowing they can handle an unexpected family situation without the stress of immediately finding an alternative solution brings a great sense of reassurance. The word that comes to my mind is: trust.”

Isabella O.
“Whether I work from home because my daughter is ill, arrive later because that morning she does not want to go to school, or face any other unexpected family situation, the atmosphere among colleagues remains calm.

In other workplaces, situations like these can sometimes be experienced with discomfort or judgement; here, instead, there is understanding. This helps avoid that sense of guilt that often makes a mother feel torn between children and work — almost as if she had to choose one over the other just to avoid feeling that discomfort.”

What remains – Elisa Stabellini, Edilteco

“In the end, it is precisely these everyday experiences that give real meaning to words such as flexibility, listening, and work-life balance.

As a mother, I know the value of peace of mind. As an employer, I know that it comes from trust.

When a company allows people not to choose between who they are and the work they do, it is building something that lasts.”

The words of Elisa Stabellini, HR at Edilteco S.p.A., close this story with a simple yet powerful idea: when people are not forced to choose between who they are and the work they do, they work better and help build a healthier, calmer environment.

A balance that is built through everyday gestures, through quiet acts of care, and through the trust that allows people to work with greater peace of mind.