Queenstown Chamber of Commerce launches a Resource Kit to assist local businesses

The Queenstown Lakes District continues to experience sustained growth causing issues around labour force, skills and accommodation shortages.

Since 2016, the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce annually surveys members to understand more about labour and accommodation issues. The results from these surveys are benchmarked and the information gained help shape appropriate workplace strategies for the region.

230 members completed the annual Labour & Accommodation Survey in October 2018. Key findings were around skills shortages and lack of accommodation options with employers suggesting they needed help with building lower cost accommodation (74%) and a better range of accommodation choices for workers (72%).

Issues around immigration remain significant with employers requesting an increase to the length of work visas and a reduction in the eligibility restrictions on work visas.

You can read a full summary of the survey results here.

The Queenstown Chamber of Commerce engaged Human Connections Group to develop an HR Resource Kit to assist local employers to develop a greater understanding of how to create ‘attraction, engagement and retention’ strategies aimed at reducing labour and skills shortages.

This is a self-assessment tool to assist those employers who do not have formal HR departments. Employers can use this document to build a picture of their business presently, how they attract talent, where the best talent has come from and what activities they currently undertake to employ, engage and retain talent.

You can download a copy of the HR Resource Kit here.

Planning is underway for a series of seminars around retention and attraction of staff as it relates to the HR Resource Kit. The new Employers' Support Programme will be advertised in the New Year.