Let’s be straight; because of COVID-19, the number of workers in Australia and New Zealand laid off or on reduced hours and wages is going to be significant.
It is something we are all either directly or indirectly affected by, so our hearts must go out to those who are facing significant financial strain.
As early as 2016, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that one third (or 3.5 million people) of the entire Australian workforce regularly worked from home in their main job or business.
And now, during the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis, the assumption is this number will invariably grow to at least double.
But in the case of franchise businesses, many of whom are on the frontline providing services such as food, clothing, bedding, cleaning, and medicine, it’s not always as easy as saying ‘let’s send the staff to work from home’.
The ‘new normal’, at least for the time being, appears to be that many franchise businesses have either closed their doors or have had to stand down staff. Those remaining, are being split in many cases between working from home and working on the frontline, facing the public.