Update Survey Results
Research

results from our survey to date

24th August 2021

We really wanted to share the data we’ve collected from the last few months . See results below.

Q. What are the challenges you’re experiencing in your work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures

  • Negative impacts on cashflow 87.50% 87.50%
  • Negative impacts on staff mental health and wellbeing 81.25% 81.25%
  • Inability to forward book/schedule – secure future revenue 75.00% 75.00%
  • Reduced business growth and progress 77.08% 77.08%
  • Decreased staff morale 62.50% 62.50%
  • Concern regarding industry future 56.25% 56.25%
  • Inability to pay operational expenses like rent, electricity, etc. 52.08% 52.08%
  • Inaccurate or unstable budgeting and financial planning creating uncertainty 45.83% 45.83%
  • Reduced staff capacity and efficiency due to increased home demands 41.67% 41.67%
  • Utilising business or tax savings to keep business going 45.83% 45.83%
  • Impacts on staff retention and future recruitment 37.50% 37.50%
  • Customer/client shutdowns or lack of payment lead to a trickle-down effect 35.42% 35.42%
  • Business losses due to inability to sell stock 27.08% 27.08%
  • Difficulty paying employees 25.00% 25.00%
  • Issues due to supply chain disruptions 20.83% 20.83%
  • Selling products at below profits to move stock and provide cash flow 16.67% 16.67%
  • Need to shift to digital business, with insufficient resources or knowledge 16.67% 16.67%
  • Not sure where to go for advice and guidance 18.75% 18.75%
  • Not sure where to go for advice and guidance 17% 17%
  • Increased cost of inputs (products or services) 10.42% 10.42%
  • Other 16.67% 16.67%

Q. Are you able to achieve ‘100% regular trade’ when regional restrictions in place? These restrictions include: limit of 50 person max in venues, 1 per 4sqm rule, group sizes max 20 people, seated service only, 10 person max outdoor, offices capped to 50%.

  • Yes 20.83% 20.83%
  • No 79.17% 79.17%

Q. What impacts to staff and payments have Victoria’s lockdowns created? Please select all that apply. 

  • We’ve stood down some staff 29.17% 29.17%
  • We’ve reduced salaries for all staff 22.92% 22.92%
  • We’ve maintained all staff at regular wages 12.50% 12.50%
  • We’ve had to reduce salaries to some staff 8.33% 8.33%
  • We’ve had to stand down all staff 6.25% 6.25%
  • None of the above 37.50% 37.50%

Q. If the most recent lockdown was to be extended or repeated, how would this impact your organisation’s staff? 

  • We would need to stand down staff 33.33% 33.33%
  • We would need to reduce salaries for all staff 27.08% 27.08%
  • We would need to reduce salaries for some staff 16.67% 16.67%
  • Staff at my business would not be affected 6.25% 6.25%
  • None of the above 35.42% 35.42%

Q. Which of the following impacts are you personally experiencing: 

  • Negative impacts to my mental health 91.67% 91.67%
  • Increased care demands (children, elderly, other loved ones) 81.25% 81.25%
  • Reduced time for my business 56.25% 56.25%
  • Assumed the majority of additional household responsibilities 56.25% 56.25%
  • Negative impacts on my physical health 64.58% 64.58%
  • Difficulty accessing financial support from the bank (e.g. loans, investment or other capital for management of personal finances) 35.42% 35.42%
  • Assumed the majority of additional caregiving (family / friends) 29.17% 29.17%
  • Other (please specify) 12.50% 12.50%

Q. How confident are you about employment and business prospects for the year ahead (2021/22 financial year)?

  • Extremely worried 41.67% 41.67%
  • worried 29.17% 29.17%
  • Neither confident nor worried 18.75% 18.75%
  • Somewhat confident 10.42% 10.42%
  • confident 0% 0%

Q. Business closures / downshifting: which of the following applies to you? 

  • We had to close doors but I’m trading in some capacity online or in a pivoted capacityely worried 43.75% 43.75%
  • Our business is closed due to restrictions and we are not trading. 39.58% 39.58%
  • We may need to close in the next 12 months if intermittent lockdowns continue 25.00% 25.00%
  • I’m considering downshifting my career or leaving the workforce 16.67% 16.67%
  • We may need to indefinitely close imminently if things don’t improve 6.25% 6.25%

Q. Which of the following financial or government support options did you access over past 12 months?

  • JobKeeper (Federal) 85.42% 85.42%
  • Business Support Fund (State) 52.08% 52.08%
  • Bank loan repayment deferrals 29.17% 29.17%
  • Payroll tax relief (State) 22.92% 22.92%
  • Hospitality grants (State) 20.83% 20.83%
  • Regional Tourism Accommodation Support Program (State) 4.17% 4.17%

Q. What do you believe to be the solutions to this current situation of repeated lockdowns? Please select all that apply. 

  • Develop a clear and transparent roadmap to business and economic recovery 85.42% 85.42%
  • Bring Victoria’s response in line with other states with improved contract tracing and best practice hotel quarantine. 72.92% 72.92%
  • Fewer, shorter, targeted area lockdowns 56.25% 56.25%
  • Improve and expedite optional vaccine rollout and set an end date when borders will open and life will resume 47.92% 47.92%
  • Utilise rapid COVID testing and vaccine evidence to permit travel and movements 52.08% 52.08%
  • Maintain current system of elimination / ensuring zero cases with intermittent lockdowns until a majority of the community has been vaccinated, as long as that may take 6.25% 6.25%
  • Maintain current system of elimination / ensuring zero cases with intermittent lockdowns until COVID is no longer present in the world 2.08% 2.08%

Q. Describe the impact Victoria’s repeated lockdowns are having on you and your organisation / business (up to 100 words)

It’s impossible to keep going with children at home (homeschooling young students) and trying to work full time. I’m stretched, have no time for my own wellbeing and finding it difficult to meet demands at work and home. I will have to downshift if lockdowns keep going — for the sanity of my family.

We cannot keep locking everyone up. We’ve had over 12 months to come to grips with this situation and we all know COVID isn’t just going away. Locking Australia up indefinitely is not an option with so many of us having family overseas and tourism being one of our biggest export markets. Our economy and mental health will continue to cripple if we continue our one-dimensional view that COVID is our only issue. We need a roadmap to move us forward and enable us to return to a life with COVID — a new normal. Locking people up and banning travel for years is a violation of human rights.

Completely untenable. Without JK we can’t keep.staff on which means we are reduced further now vs 2020 in our ability lto keep.trading as we have no staff

Can’t see my clients. My classes are all cancelled. Students are dropping out of my courses. Students can’t afford to pay their invoices. Student morale has dropped.

As a fairly new start up and sole trader the effect has been devastating

Personally my mental & physical health is at an all time low. I am a solo mum with no other income. My outgoings are over $30k per month. I have brought in a total of $380 since lockdown. Without rental assistance & job keeper, we are going backwards every day.

We are photographers in weddings and events, we need people!! We also have a number of weddings postponed due to international border closures. Couples are now looking to 23 onwards so it leaves a big gap. Also many are downsizing which means less spend for the industry. Corporate wise, we do a lot of business events and that had only just started to return when along comes another lockdown. We also sometimes work overseas so that’s all gone. Without a clear roadmap for opening up borders it’s taking a huge toll on businesses and personally for us with overseas connections.

With uncertainly looming at all times it is very hard to stay positive, most clients had four different dates for marriage. This alone brings many things to facilitate. Funerals were and still are very distressing. Staying positive for clients is soul destroying.

We have to repeatedly cancel work & the public have no confidence in the state staying open so are reluctant to book. My husband is depressed, my kids are sad to be missing school/sport/friends again & we are relying on family to help us pay our mortgage.

It is extremely hard to plan for the future and I fear that the next wedding season for us will be extremely stressful with the additional workload

As my business caters for large functions such as weddings, birthday celebrations (20+ guests) with special occasion cakes, the constant shut-downs and customers having to rearrange / postpone /refund due to cancellations is exhausting. The constant uncertainty (financially as well as looking forward) is very overwhelming for both customers and staff.

     All my bookings get cancelled. I am a makeup artist, so always the last to be able to open back up.

demographics from submissions

%

Female owned businesses on the Peninsula

  • Sole Trader 39.58% 39.58%
  • Micro (0-4 staff) 20.83% 20.83%
  • Small (5-19 staff) 22.92% 22.92%
  • Medium (20 – 199 staff) 14.58% 14.58%
  • Large (200+ staff) 2.08% 2.08%
  • Hospitality & Food Services 20.83% 20.83%
  • Arts and Recreation Services 10.42% 10.42%
  • Info Media & Telecommunications 8.33% 8.33%
  • Prof, Scientific & Tech Services 6.25% 6.25%
  • Health Care and Social Assistance 6.25% 6.25%
  • Retail Trade 4.17% 4.17%
  • Tours & Passenger Transport 6.25% 6.25%
  • Events 18.75% 18.75%
  • Education and Training 6.25% 6.25%
  • Financial and Insurance Services 2.08% 2.08%
  • Administrative and Support Services 2.08% 2.08%
  • Manufacturing 2.08% 2.08%
  • Holiday Accommodation 2.08% 2.08%
  • Real Estate 2.08% 2.08%
  • Tourism Attraction 2.08% 2.08%

we still want to hear from you

we’ll be updating these stats again in 14 days

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“Your value will be not what you know; it will be what you share.”

Ginni Rometty