Routes to a Stronger Workforce - a conference for HR professionals

The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company & charity for the furnishing industry, is organising a sixth event for HR professionals in working in the industry to come together for a day of learning and networking.

11:00 – 11:10 Welcome from Jessica Alexander, Master, The Furniture Makers’ Company

11:10 – 11:45 'Trends, society and the Employment Rights Act' - Amanda Chadwick

Going back to basics with policies and procedures is the fastest way to protect people and the organisation—especially as employment law continues to evolve under the Employment Rights Act 2025. When processes for recruitment, probation, pay, discipline, grievance, absence, and flexible working are clear, current, and consistently applied, HR reduces risk and improves fairness in everyday decisions. This talk connects the “what” (the updated legal expectations) with the “how” (practical policy alignment, documentation, and manager-ready procedures), so delegates leave with a straightforward plan to refresh compliance without losing momentum on culture and people outcomes.

Amanda Chadwick is an accomplished and well-known speaker within the field of employment law for over 20 years, working with nearly all federations, associations and industries on legislation changes and society patterns. She has helped hundreds of thousands of businesses/organisations and charities throughout the UK, keep ahead of legislation, employment law and updates. She is a writer for the ICPA as well as a webinar broadcaster, presenter, blogger, author, motivational speaker, host, and school mentor.

11:45 – 12:15 'How can the charity support your employees' - Maureen Baker, Welfare Officer, The Furniture Makers’ Company

Maureen Baker is the first point of contact for people when applying for a financial grant from the charity. She will outline what the charity awards grants for and provide an update on how we've helped people and offer advice on how to cascade information about the grants at your workplace.

12:15 – 12:45 'Building Financial Resilience in your Team' - Rachel Harte, Money First Aid

Financial pressures can affect anyone, often unexpectedly. This session explores what financial resilience really means, why it matters in the workplace, and how employers can help employees build confidence and resilience.

Topics covered include:

• What financial resilience means in practice
• Why unexpected life events can quickly impact financial wellbeing
• The role employers can play in supporting employees
• The growing role of workplace savings initiatives
• Signposting employees to support

Attendees will leave with practical ideas to help create a more supportive and financially resilient workplace.

Rachel Harte is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years' experience in financial services. After advising high-net-worth clients for many years, she joined a UK fintech to help develop one of the UK's first digital financial coaching experiences for the workplace and create independently accredited financial wellbeing training programmes.

In 2024, she co-founded Money First Aid to build a UK network of Money First Aiders and help organisations create more financially aware and supportive workplace cultures. She is passionate about improving financial wellbeing and helping people feel more confident managing money and supporting others through financial challenges.

12:45 – 13:45 Lunch and Networking

13:45 – 14:15 Mental Health Innovations – Mental health in the workplace

14:15 – 14:45 'Recruiting, Retaining and Developing Talent: The Role of Apprenticeships in Furniture & Interiors', Hannah Hockley, the Furniture & Interiors Education, Skills and Training Alliance

As employers continue to face challenges around recruitment, retention and workforce planning, apprenticeships can play an important role in developing skills and building sustainable talent pipelines.

In this session, Hannah Hockley from FIESTA will provide an update on the apprenticeship landscape, including recent policy and funding changes, employer incentives, and what these developments mean in practice for furniture and interiors businesses. The session will explore how apprenticeships can support wider people strategies, help address skills gaps, and create opportunities for both new entrants and existing employees.

Attendees will also learn more about FIESTA, the industry-led alliance supporting skills, training and workforce development across the furniture and interiors sector, and the free resources, guidance and support available to employers.

14:45 – 15:00 Questions and Closing comments