Australia! We’ve officially been out of lockdown for a while now, it’s a new year and it’s time to head back to work. For those who have been lucky enough to maintain their employment, it’s also a time to get yourselves out of the house and back into cafes.

It’s no secret that hospitality has been one of the hardest-hit industries during the pandemic and every little bit helps to get them back to their pre-COVID glory. Some cafes and restaurants have managed to keep their heads above water through ingenuity and adapting their services however, many have been forced into closing their doors, either temporarily or for good.

As a patron, you may not realise the full impact of your individual daily visit (or visits) to your favourite hot drink hotspot. It’s easiest to look at it as a cycle effect:

Where this system does hit a hurdle, however, is the ‘finding more staff’ element, and this has been a nationwide issue for some time. Staff shortages across the country have been an ongoing issue since October last year, but the drop off doesn’t just have to do with the rapid spread of the latest strain or the other pre-existing reasons such as double-vaccinations, self-isolation, etc; businesses simply can’t get enough job seekers to apply to their ads.

Last November, The Guardian reported that one Melbourne-based café went from a normal inflow of 60+ applicants for any position advertised pre-covid to one or two. ^[1]

In the October 10, 2021 edition of the Sydney Morning Herald a restaurant owner from Narrabeen, NSW said that he was so desperate to replenish his staff that he had spent “over $600 on job ads and only had one email back”. ^[2]

These stories are repeated in every city across the country. Here at Bondi Chai HQ, we’ve been hearing the same story from many of our customers: they want to get back to normal operation as quickly as possible, but they just can’t find the staff.

Before lockdown – you know, back in the stone-age when we didn’t wear masks, check-in at every venue and could actually have a conversation with someone without a two-metre chasm between us – much of the industry relied heavily on students and working travellers, but it looks like this trend is set to change with the new world in which we find ourselves.

Positions within the hospitality industry have always been viewed as transient rather than career-based and this is likely one of the major effects influencing the drastic drop in job ad responses now. We collectively need to change our way of thinking in this area and start getting back out there.

In response to this ongoing crisis across the industry, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on January 19 that the government would be offering a rebate on working visas for 150,000 students and 23,500 backpackers to entice them back to our shores over the next few months with a message of “come on down”^[3], but only for those who are fully-vaccinated and previously approved.

This sounds like a good initiative to help fill the gaps however, the flip side is that immigration websites in several countries around the world are advising people not to travel to Australia, according to 7News, with one site using something similar to our own fire-danger charts to illustrate COVID-19 levels within our borders. You can watch the news clip below:

Currently, there are thousands of positions open across the country that desperately need to be filled. We’ve got the ball rolling for you, so if you know anyone looking for work then let them know to check out the links below and start hitting the Apply button today:

So, if you love the cafe life, then we urge you to get back out there into the community and help get your local cafes back on their feet, whether it is through your loyal patronage or applying for one of the many positions they have available!

[1] Source: Cafes are scrambling for staff, while other economic ruptures lie hidden

[2] Source: $600 on ads and only one job application: Why restaurants are still struggling for staff

[3] Source: Visa fee refund offered to entice students, backpackers to fill COVID worker shortages