A new community group has started to help connect Queenstown businesses who can't find workers with local helping hands willing to pitch in.
Queenstown's usual international workers are short on the ground, and businesses are having to find creative ways to manage the gaps. Photo: 123RF
Earlier this month, the Locals Keeping Queenstown Open Facebook page was launched to connect willing residents with a spare few hours to short-staffed businesses.
Page co-founder and xTravel co-owner Tori Keating said staffing over winter was looking dire with more jobs available in Queenstown than there were ratepayers.
She hoped the Facebook page would make it easier for locals to support Queenstown businesses.
"We've had a huge uptake of people messaging us privately, both businesses and people who are wanting to help out.
"So we know that there's definitely a market for it and we know that it's a great opportunity for locals to just stick their hands up and say 'hey, I've got a few hours. I can do something to help out'."
People who got involved would get paid for their work while easing the pressure on existing staff and businesses, she said.
During a recent visit to Australia, she noticed that some hospitality businesses included ads on the bottom of their menus to attract staff or ask for people to pitch in if they had time.
Over the Easter school holidays, Queenstown hotels and restaurants were capping their reservations to 40 to 60 percent capacity because they didn't want to burnout their staff, Keating said.
"The idea behind the concept is not to be putting people who have a full time job during the day into a customer-facing arena.
"It's more a case of allowing the people who are already working in those particular venues to focus more on customer service."
The aim was to help staff keep on top of service with the 'Angels' pitching in by restocking plates at breakfast buffets, polishing cutlery, clearing tables or other similar tasks.
She planned to pitch in by washing dishes and making beds.
"As a local, proud Queenstowner, I love our town and I feel like it's my responsibility to stick my hand up and help us get through the winter until we get our regular, wonderful, multicultural workforce back."
It was a model that could work in other towns that were struggling for staff, she said.
"It's not creating new jobs or new employment. It's just creating a bridge to get us through the winter season while we're still waiting for people to come back into town."