Big helping hand for small businesses

Do you know your way around a cash register or a coffee machine? If you do, your local might be looking for you.

Neighbourly has devised a clever little service to help keep the community economy ticking, propping up small businesses with a resource that is proving hard to find: people.

Short Notice is designed to help small businesses find staff . . . at short notice.

Neighbourly is a proudly Kiwi-owned social impact platform for individuals and communities to interact with each other with a goal to do more ‘‘local good’’.

The initiative is not about providing long-term recruitment solutions, but rather a helping hand for a few hours, or a shift, from someone in the community so the doors can stay open.

Sarah Moore, head of Neighbourly, came up with the idea when she noticed how many businesses, particularly hospitality outlets, were running reduced menus or weren’t even able to open due to staff shortages.

She considered the skills she had that might be helpful to others in their moment of need.

‘‘While I work full-time, I still have time in my evenings and the odd weekend I’d be happy to offer to a small business to ensure they

‘‘The hospitality industry is facing a critical skills shortage so anyone wanting to come and help us out will be welcomed with open arms.’’

Get involved

To find out more about Short Notice, post a job or lend a hand at

neighbourly.co.nz/shortnotice

can keep their doors open,’’ she says.

‘‘I can answer phones, wait tables, do the dishes, make deliveries.

‘‘If giving up a few hours of my time is the difference between a business staying open or having to close I’ll be there with my apron on. I’m sure plenty of other neighbours would too.’’

Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois welcomes the initiative.

‘‘The hospitality industry is facing a critical skills shortage so anyone wanting to come and help us out will be welcomed with open arms.

‘‘Many businesses find themselves short-staffed at short notice so this campaign sounds like the perfect solution for our industry. Who knows, you might make some new friends or find your forever job!’’

Moore adds that one silver lining of Covid is how it’s brought our communities closer together.

‘‘Our recent State of the Neighbourhood/Te A¯ hua o nga¯ Hapori survey showed that 33% of us feel more connected to our neighbours since the pandemic and 25% of us appreciate our neighbourhood more now.

‘‘Often we get more joy from what we give than what we get, and that’s what Short Notice is all about,’’ she says.