To our customers, Sidekicks and entire Sidekicker community
The global pandemic and economic uncertainty unfolding before us is a new reality for everyone, creating complex challenges that must be managed and led in bold new ways.
Like many companies, we are asking ourselves: How can we help?
At Sidekicker, we are answering this question by turning to our purpose: to give people–workers and businesses–the power to reach their potential–and we are marshalling our resources and technology to help in every way possible.
First, we are taking care of our Sidekicks and core team, prioritising their health and safety. We have asked all employees to follow our COVID-19 policy, which is being updated every day to reflect the current advice of the Australian government.
Most of all, we are staying customer focused.
As a truly digital business, we are staying connected from wherever we are and ensuring that we are getting the job done for our customers.
During times of crisis, there are so many businesses in our community that need to remain functioning and providing for those in need–and that requires agility, commitment, and support to help businesses navigate these unprecedented times.
Sidekicker is here to help the warehousing and logistics industries
As the situation with COVID-19 has developed, there has been enormous strain placed on supply chains providing essential goods to consumers–namely supermarkets, pharmaceutical companies and food delivery services.
Several Sidekicker customers are experiencing this, and are leading the way for how to effectively meet increased demand during this pandemic. Sidekicker is playing a critical role in that process, mobilising thousands of frontline workers across the country.
The team has set up workforces for 15 supermarket chains across ANZ, supporting with roles such as merchandising, shelf stackers and Night Fillers. In the past 24 hours alone we have provided 150 qualified workers to support one of Australia’s largest supermarkets, with 200 stores and DC’s nationally. As a result, they have been able to move faster, better coordinating people and logistics, and most importantly, able to continue servicing the community.
Our at-home meal delivery customers have also been inundated with orders, and we have rapidly scaled their frontline workforces to meet demand, deploying an additional 100+ workers per day at some sites.
We have 4,500 pre-vetted warehousing and logistics Sidekicks across ANZ, who are available and safe to support businesses through this crisis.
Sidekicker is here to help the aged care sector
Inarguably one of the hardest hit, the aged care sector is suffering. An industry already challenged by skills shortages and financial pressures, Sidekicker is supporting facilities by mobilising hundreds of pre-screened and experienced Assistants in Nursing, Enrolled Nurses and Registered Nurses to provide the highest level of care to our nation’s most vulnerable.
The highest rate of fatalities from COVID-19 is among older people, particularly those with underlying medical conditions. Sidekicker has been following stringent guidelines from the department of health and leading industry bodies to ensure our policies and procedures including temperature checking before entering facilities are adhered to.
With a large number of our clients requesting additional staff, we have ramped up our recruitment efforts to quickly expand our aged care workforce in areas with high concentration of aged care facilities.
Sidekicker is here to help call centres put under increased demand
With social distancing and self-quarantine measures becoming a new part of our reality, and immense strain being placed on healthcare services, COVID-19 has seen the creation and expansion of phone and internet based customer service resources across multiple industries.
Sidekicker is poised with 5,766 experienced and ready-to-work customer service and support staff who have experienced working at companies like Uber, News Corp, Fairfax, Mealpal, and Judo Bank.
Many of these Sidekicks also work regularly for our hospitality and events customers, and have had their ordinarily regular income cut dramatically. If any companies are in need of outstanding staff to support their call centres, our Sidekicks are here for you.
Doing our best to help all of our customers help everyone
Over the last few weeks it’s been devastating to see the impact COVID-19 is having on our customers and Sidekicks across some of our core industries–hospitality, events and exhibitions. The hard decisions that business operators are having to make, and the uncertainty for so many workers is heartbreaking.
At the same time, we are more driven than ever to provide businesses with workforce solutions that help them succeed, and our 10,000 Sidekicks with work opportunities that help them reach their full potential. Our team is working around the clock to play every part we can in achieving this.
To all of the people who are keeping our country moving–ensuring people have essential goods and services and caring for those in need–our thoughts, thanks and support is with you.
Sincerely,
Tom Amos, CEO Sidekicker