Bricks Need Mortar Community Update
As we come out of an uncertain year the one certainty is that the path to fully reopening may have a path of its own. Bricks Need Mortar members came together a few days ago to share how things are going in their businesses and revealed the following:
– A wide variety of masking procedures – while some businesses are letting go of all masking requirements, some continue to keep them in place. Members discussed staff vaccinations, how they influence safety protocols and the need for constant messaging. Workers are significantly more likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine when their employers encourage it and provide paid time off for vaccination and recovery. Under the American Rescue Plan, employers are entitled to tax credits for providing paid leave to employees who take time off related to COVID-19 vaccinations.
– Online sales have slowed – as people return to in person experiences and travel, some businesses are reporting significant declines in ecommerce sales reminding us to focus on improving the in store experience, capturing customer emails and preparing both our stores and our websites for the upcoming holiday season.
– Hiring continues to be challenging – finding experienced employees is difficult and expensive. We recommend reviewing our July discussion on Hiring in the Reopening Economy.
Bricks Need Mortar brings our community together to share challenges and solutions, advocates for the needs of our small businesses, and works to develop impactful programs that benefit our community.
Bricks Need Mortar founder, Sarah Shaoul, was recently recognized for this work and used the opportunity to highlight the Bricks Need Mortar x Kuto partnership to create the first of its kind Small Shops Big Hearts PDXSOS gift card that can be used at hundreds of small businesses while saving small businesses from paying high credit card fees.
Watch the 1 minute video here: