The idea of “soldiering on” and going to work sick, just doesn’t cut it anymore.

2nd July, 2020 | Written by Amber D.

While a lot of us have ‘chucked a sickie’ on multiple occasions, many of us in the pre-COVID world have in fact, still gone to work whilst feeling unwell. According to a 2019 YouGov poll, this includes nearly two-thirds of Australians.

However, in this new world of COVID-19, attitudes and etiquette within the workplace are changing. Health officials across Australia are imploring Australians to drop the “soldier-on” mindset - permanently. Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy, has stated that the common notion of going to work with a bit of the flu, or the common cold, is just no longer an option. For those industries that can ‘work from home’ (WFH), this new workplace etiquette isn’t causing many issues.

However, for industries that are customer-facing and cannot work from home, such as the hospitality industry - we are witnessing some problems beginning to emerge. Employers across the country are now being given new responsibilities, and are being expected to turn away both employees and customers that appear to be sick. For those within the hospitality industry, turning away essential employees during peak time, or a busy Saturday night - can be a nightmare...

In light of these developments, the SHFTHero team has sat down and had a chat to a few hospitality business owners from across NSW, to find out how they’re best adapting to this ‘new normal’. For many business owners, now more than ever is the time to beef up staff networks, making sure to have individuals on call to cover for sick employees. A large portion of the business owners are looking towards an on-demand staffing solution, such as SHFTHero, our staff-sharing app. Just recently the SHFTHero platform has expanded with the inclusion of a wider range of ‘shift covers’ - now supporting full-time, part-time, casual and temporary roles. With a Hero community of over 2,000 experienced hospitality professionals, SHFTHero has been helping businesses out across NSW, finding Baristas, Bartenders, Chefs, Cashiers, to name a few.

Are you after some experienced staff to help you throughout this crazy period? Join SHFTHero, no-costs involved, get access to our Hero community, scale your business to meet fluctuating demand. For more information check out our website, www.shfthero.com.

Our hospitality and events staff service the whole of NSW: Sydney CBD, Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, South Sydney, North Shore, Northern Beaches, Greater Western Sydney, Hills District, Hawkesbury, South-Western Sydney and Penrith. As well as regional NSW: Hunter, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, South Coast, North Coast, Wollongong.