Port Kembla Golf Club course manager Greg Claydon is a very popular man at home.
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After his employer provided an incentive for staff to have paid time off work for COVID vaccinations he waisted no time booking an appointment.
Mr Claydon did that in June and afterwards was able to take home a $100 gift card.
Next Wednesday he is going back for his second Pfizer jab and will take home another $100 voucher after that.
Mr Claydon said his family were very happy because they were using the $200 to buy groceries.
He works for the Aster Group which runs Wests Illawarra and the Port Kembla Golf Club.
In June the leadership team took their idea to the Board which quickly endorsed the incentive.
Chief executive Danny Munk said the hospitality industry had been hit hard by lockdown restrictions.
But the Aster Group decided to put challenges aside to help its large workforce get vaccinated by giving them paid time off and a $100 gift card after each jab.
"This is another opportunity for us to look after our staff. They are our greatest asset. We want to help to keep them and our community safe," Mr Munk said.
People and culture executive Rebecca Harrison said the Aster Group knew the way out of COVID was to improve the situation for its employees and customers. And the best way to do that was through vaccination.
"We are aiming to have as much of our workforce fully vaccinated as soon as possible," she said.
"Staff can get their first $100 gift card after their first shot or wait until fully vaccinated and receive their total of $200 worth. They will also be paid for the time taken to go and have each vaccination."
Presently around 10 per cent of Aster Group employees have had their first jab and that is expected top dramatically increase over the next four to eight weeks as vaccine supplies in Australia increase.
Brand and marketing strategy executive Stacey Corbeski said the incentive was an example of how the business cares about its team and the community.
Mr Claydon said he applied to have a Pfizer shot when he read they were having to throw away some vaccinations when people weren't turning up for appointments.
"Initially I thought there were a lot more important people that need to get it before me. But then when I heard they were having to throw them out because people weren't turning up I thought that was just a waste. So I spoke to my GP about it and he said put your name down and see how you go. And I got in fairly quickly."
Mr Claydon said the fact that his employer was willing to pay him to have the vaccine and give him a gift card was a nice reward.
"It is like a win-win situation," he said.
"It is good for the community that people are out there getting vaccinated. But it is also good for myself and my family to get that little reward.
"I am lucky enough to work for a business that has the capacity to offer that incentive. And it is going to help the whole community. Once we get some a reasonable number of people immunised hopefully it will slow things down a bit.
"It is really good to see businesses like the Aster Group doing things like this. They don't have to do things like this. But they see themselves as a preferred employer and they are putting their money where their mouth is. I think it is great.
"The $200 in gift cards will make a dent on the shopping bill, that's for sure."
Mr Claydon said the golf course has remained open during the present lockdown.
"Golf lends itself to being a fairly socially distanced sport," he said.
"Players are going out in groups of two at the moment. And that has made it a lot easier for the pro shop to manage people turning up. It is like Noah's ark at the moment with people going out two by two."
Mr Claydon said people were still eager to play because a game of golf was great for the body and the mind.
"You get out on the course and you fell like you are a million miles away from anything else going on," he said.
"Me and my team are really lucky because it is almost like business as usual."
But having said that he is encouraging all his team to consider follow his lead and get vaccinated.
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