Franchising in Padua: workshop on staffing and conflict management

People management will be the focus of a workshop taking place on Thursday 5 November 2026 in Padua, at the offices of Confesercenti Veneto Centrale. The event will bring together experiences from the franchising and retail communities, with a practical aim: to address the challenges of attracting staff, supporting their development and building working relationships that can withstand conflict.

An event within Progetto Mentore

The workshop, entitled “The value of people in business success: good practice from franchising and retail”, will take place at Via Savelli 8. It forms part of the Padua Chamber of Commerce’s Progetto Mentore mentoring initiative and is organised in partnership with Federfranchising-Confesercenti.

According to the announcement published by Confesercenti on 23 October, the discussion will involve business owners, managers and professionals. The experiences shared will focus on interpersonal skills, improving the workplace atmosphere and business growth. The central theme will therefore be people’s contribution to running a business, rather than increasing the size of franchise networks.

Opening remarks will be delivered by Flavio Convento, President of Confesercenti Veneto Centrale, and Umberto Gonnella, National President of Federfranchising. They will be followed by Esther Boil, Exhibition Manager at Salone Franchising Milano, who will discuss the Milan event’s role in the franchising community.

This presentation also brings into the programme the role of events where franchise networks and business owners can meet and exchange ideas. However, the morning’s main focus will remain on two specific issues: staff retention and managing workplace relationships.

From recruitment to professional development

The first panel discussion, scheduled for 11:00, is entitled “From recruitment to retention: how to attract and develop staff”. The speakers will be Alessandro Albertini, Luca Caroglio, Stefano Dassie and Nicola Dambelli.

The topic covers several stages of the employment relationship: attracting candidates, retaining staff and supporting professional development. This continuity defines the session: rather than stopping at recruitment, the programme gives equal weight to finding people and supporting them over time.

Recognising and developing talent and supporting professional growth are among the initiative’s stated aims. For participants from the franchising community, the discussion offers an opportunity to examine people management as part of day-to-day business operations, alongside other responsibilities of business ownership.

The experiences presented will provide a starting point for sharing tools, knowledge and practical guidance. The focus will be on employees’ progress within a business, not simply on attracting new applicants — a useful distinction when considering the panel’s scope and preparing questions for the event.

Managing conflict and building collaboration

The second session will begin at 11:45, under the title “Managing conflict, building collaboration: people and relationships for business success”. Speakers will include Maria Teresa De Luca, Alessandro Sgaravatti, Paolo Pasquetti and Andrea Bernasconi.

The programme approaches conflicts as situations to be managed and turned into opportunities for collaboration. This links directly to the organisers’ stated aims of strengthening interpersonal skills and improving the workplace atmosphere.

The two panels therefore form a coherent programme. The first addresses how people join and develop within a business; the second focuses on the relationships that underpin working together. For business owners interested in good practice from the franchising community, the morning will connect staff management with effective collaboration, rather than focusing on either aspect in isolation.

Timings and how to attend

The event will be moderated by Sara Busato, from the Press Office of Confesercenti Veneto Centrale. Participant check-in will open at 10:00, with welcome addresses and opening remarks scheduled for 10:30. The presentation on Salone Franchising Milano will take place at 10:45, before the two panel discussions.

The event is scheduled to finish at 12:30, followed by an aperitif reception where participants can exchange ideas and make contacts. Admission is free, but registration is required and places are limited. Registration is via Eventbrite; for further information, call +39 049 8698603.

Practical tip: if you plan to attend, prepare one specific question about staff retention and another about conflict management. Relating the programme to situations in your own business can help steer the discussion towards your practical needs.