The Hospitality Dashboard is a monthly snapshot of the industry, covering key data, initiatives led by the industry over the month, member commentary, future considerations and the common pain points.
In February 2022:
Most regular feedback:
- Operators are working 80-100 hour weeks due to staffing challenges, compounded by absences of isolating staff.
- Commercial rents are rising – with many operators unable to negotiate any relief under Red settings.
- The CSP threshold is set too high at 40%, considering accumulative revenue declines over the past 2 years.
- Businesses with isolating staff have been forced to close without sustainable levels of staff to operate.
Actions led by the industry this month:
- Provided feedback to Treasury on proposals for targeted support.
- Formally communicated with the Minister of Finance, to discuss the government’s Covid-19 response, proposing solutions for support for the hospitality industry, and the Covid-19 Response Minister, regarding improving government comms of the traffic light setting.
- Worked with Government representatives, MP’s Chlöe Swarbrick, Helen White, Andrew Bayly and Dr James McDowall, to support raising awareness of industry issues.
- Organised an emergency meeting, bringing together over 200 hospitality operators and government representatives to discuss the current situation, and what the industry is calling for.
- Raised issues with the date comparator period for CSP with Government, providing feedback directly to Minister of Finance office.
- Renewed DineOut HelpOut campaign – addressing customer hesitancy & highlighting what the industry is doing to keep diners safe.
- Created a template for members to raise an investigation with the Ombudsman for those unable to access wage subsidy support in 2021.
- Created policy & agreements to facilitate secondment arrangements – helping businesses closed due to Covid & those needing staff.
- Provided guidance for business owners on how to raise their stories and reach out to their local MP’s.
- Provided support and redeployment assistance to industry workers through the RA’s Tautoko Hāpai Ō programme.