Little ones learn about the ecological transition at the miniwatt nursery

Pamela Mastroddi and Eugenio Giacomoni are Terna employees. She works in Human Resources, and he works in Procurement and Contracts. The thing they have in common, other than working for the same company, is that last September, they both registered their children at the “Miniwatt” Nursery that the national transmission grid operator launched in 2021 at its Rome headquarters. It’s called corporate welfare, and it pairs perfectly with the new working paradigm, which of course includes smart working but also the return to normality and making the commute from home to work easier by making it the same as the one to bring the little ones to the nursery. The on-site nursery project is part of Terna's vision of how work is changing, not only due to the pandemic, but also in view of increasing flexibility. Creating a work-life balance increases employee satisfaction and, as a result, efficiency in the workplace.

According to Mr Giacomoni, the greatest convenience is precisely the nursery’s operating hours, which cover the entire work day, «allowing me to stay calmly at work until the end of my shift and allowing my wife to take care of everything else, including our other two children». Terna's nursery is open Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and has room for about twenty children divided into three age groups: infants (6-12 months), younger toddlers (13-24 months) and older toddlers (25-36 months). It is a paid service, but the cost is entirely reasonable. «The price is much lower than a private nursery, and the quality is worth the price», commented Ms Mastroddi.

Mr Giacomoni preferred this option to the public nursery attended last year by his son, who is now 16 months old. «There is no comparing the quality. It really is worth it. Even our son is very happy, and he almost eats better there than at home». The canteen is one of its best attributes. The food they serve is organic, and the menu is varied and balanced, according to Ms Mastroddi. «The company that manages the nursery has experience with large companies, and it shows».

The Human Resources professional has a daughter that is almost two years old and stresses the importance of outdoor spaces. «The nursery is on the ground floor. There is the indoor space with stations and traditional activities, but there is also an outdoor area used for a curriculum focused on teaching the children about the environment».

At Terna’s nursery, the children are in daily contact with nature to learn to understand and respect it. «They experiment with materials, have sensory experiences, even when it rains, to learn about the seasons. Everything is designed to help them develop environmental awareness, which is also Terna's mission as a group, in this phase of ecological transition». Food, the environment, but also education: despite their very young age, the children of Terna's employees have an English language teacher at their disposal so that they can become familiar with a language that they will most certainly have to learn when they grow up.

«My daughter can already count to 10 in English», says Pamela Mastroddi, both proud and amused, adding that, «the company announced that a music education course may also be introduced shortly». Which is great, excellent, in fact. «We are 100% satisfied with our choice. I wouldn’t change a thing», says Mr Giacomoni.