Workforce and accommodation shortages in this district continue to bite but an upcoming information series will provide free advice on part of the picture.

Queenstown Lakes businesses will receive practical information about purchasing, leasing and managing worker accommodation at a free information series next month. 

Ignite Wānaka (the town’s chamber of commerce) chair Glenn Peat told the Wānaka App last month many local businesses are struggling to recruit staff based on the lack of housing.

A recent Queenstown Business Chamber survey also found nearly three-quarters of respondents were concerned about the effects of housing shortages on staff shortages.

“Staff housing and workforce shortages are two key issues keeping people up at night so it’s important they have the best possible information from a range of experts to help them formulate strategies,” Queenstown Business Chamber CEO Sharon Fifield said. 

Sharon said the series - which will kick off on April 4 with Corelogic chief economist Kelvin Davidson and Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) strategic growth manager Anita Vanstone - will provide practical information for businesses.

A recent housing report commissioned by QLDC confirmed rental supply in the district continues to shrink. It also said a range of strategies would be needed to increase supply.

Read more: Housing shortage must be tackled from many angles

“Knowledge is power and this series is something proactive we can do as a Chamber to provide business leaders with relevant information and tools to empower them to make decisions,” Sharon said. 

The three-part information series has received funding support from Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group, an organisation which aims to build resilience and increase wellbeing in the district.

“If the information helps people to resolve some stressors like attracting and retaining staff or finding a place to live, it will have a knock-on effect to improving overall mental wellbeing - not only for business leaders and their staff, but for the wider community,” Te Hau Toka chair Adell Cox said. 

With Te Tau Hoka’s support, the Queenstown Business Chamber has been able to expand the information series beyond its usual membership to anyone across the region.

The in-person events will take place in Queenstown but livestreams are available district-wide, and participants can submit any specific questions they’d like answered ahead of each seminar.

Find more information on the Staff Housing Information Series, including the dates, times and how to register for the events, here. 

PHOTO: Supplied