Companies get organized
The companies producing office furniture and systems are gearing up in this sense: “We are raising awareness among our members, so that they can work to identify products that can be the object of expenditure for employees, or to create ad hoc products – explains the president of Ass ufficio -. I am thinking in particular of seats and desks suitable for entering apartments which, on average, are not very large, therefore they must be small, at most 70-75 centimeters by 55-60 and possibly elevated in height ». It will involve launching an important communication and information campaign relating to this rule, both among employers and among employees. The hope is that the norm, but also the increase in the ceiling, will also be extended in 2022.
The benefit for businesses and workers is clear. But also for the State: a recent Ambrosetti study estimates that, keeping the exemption threshold at 516 euros, would potentially set in motion 1.6 billion euros of consumption in the country, with an overall increase of 794 million euros ( 251.5 euros per capita). If the ceiling were raised to 1,000 euros, consumption would reach the figure of 1.88 billion (337.2 euros per capita). Obviously, the estimate is on the overall expenditure, not only for that potentially addressed to smartworking stations.
A very good sign
But for office furniture manufacturers (over 300 companies in Italy and 6 thousand employees) it is an excellent sign: «We are convinced that it will help – confirms Marinelli -. Our sector has come out a bit battered from 2020, unlike other wood-furniture sectors, which have instead contained losses and this year are showing signs of recovery ». Last year the office sector closed with a turnover down by 20%, just over one billion euros, with a higher decline on the domestic market (-22.2%) than in the foreign ones (-17.5%) , which account for 47% of total revenues. “In 2021 we do not expect a recovery yet, but we hope at least that the situation will stabilize – adds the president -. The future of the offices is very uncertain. However, even if the spaces allocated to company headquarters will decrease, I believe that this decrease can be compensated by new phenomena, such as that of smartworking, and also of coworking. The world of work has changed and it is clear that the world of work equipment must change too ».