Closed: Greater Shepparton City Council has had to limit its customer services interactions to online and over the phone due to it being unable to fill job vacancies.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
The region’s employment crisis has reached local government, with Greater Shepparton City Council forced to close its in-person customer service desk because of a lack of staff.
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The council said the temporary closure of its office reception was a direct result of being unable to fill job vacancies.
“The critical shortage means the counter is closed while a small team, aided by other department volunteers redeployed within council, is manning the phones and trying to get to as many customers as possible,” chief executive Peter Harriott said.
“Our direct goal is to get to all calls, and service our customers, but council, like other businesses and industries, is facing staff shortages in all areas.”
Council customers could still interact with council staff for a range of services, including making payments, requesting information or lodging inquiries, through the website, via email or by phone.
Not alone: Chief executive Peter Harriott says Greater Shepparton City Council is collaborating with a number of organisations to try to overcome the worker shortage in the Goulburn Valley.
Photo by
Ray Sizer
“Council, as a whole, continues to work across a variety of projects and initiatives related to attracting, upskilling and retaining workers in the region; however, we too are facing challenges in recruitment alongside the rest of the region,” Mr Harriott said.
The worker shortage has hit a range of industries across the Goulburn Valley, from agriculture to education, transport and healthcare, with employers unable to fill a diverse spectrum of vacancies at a range of levels.
“We know there is a dire shortage in health, retail, hospitality, small and large business and industry, right across the board, and we are not immune to that,” Mr Harriott said.
“It is frustrating and we are adapting as best we can to service the community.
“We are recruiting, we are redeploying and we are being as effective as we can under the circumstances.”
Mr Harriott said the council was supporting a number of initiatives in an attempt to help boost recruitment, not only within its own departments, but across the region.
The council, in partnership with the Committee for Greater Shepparton, supports the Community Connector Program, which aims to make the relocation of people moving to the region as smooth as possible.
Council is also co-operating with a range of partners, including Goulburn Valley Health, Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE, and Melbourne and La Trobe universities with the aim of promoting the Goulburn Valley’s lifestyle and available jobs.
That has included promotions at field days and expos, such as the Melbourne Careers Expo in July, and working with migration services.
“This is an issue we are hearing across Shepparton and beyond, and we are working with our community partners to address shortages here and more widely, through a variety of strategies,” Mr Harriott said.
“The upside is the opportunity to promote the region as a place to work or find a career — it’s a job seeker’s market.
“We have the lifestyle, we have the jobs, and we have the support.”
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