King IT boss Patrick King reveals Covid-19 vaccination incentive for staff members

A Queensland based IT company will offer employees a cash bonus in a push to have all staff vaccinated in the coming months.

A Queensland IT company has unveiled their plan to see all staff members vaccinated in the next two months.

Founder and CEO of King IT, Patrick King, said he would offer cash bonuses to all staff members who got the vaccine, saying mass vaccinations were the only way out of “crippling” lockdowns.

Mr King said he wanted to do his part as a business owner to help lift Queensland’s vaccination rate.

“This is about saving lives,” Mr King said.

“Many of our team have families they are providing for and getting severely ill with Covid would be a disaster for them.”

King IT CEO Patrick King says mass vaccinations are a way out of “crippling” lockdowns and has encouraged all his staff to book in for a dose. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Mr King said staff would be offered an extra five per cent on their monthly bonus, which worked out to be up to $100.

He said he had put the welfare of the workers across his six Queensland stores front and centre throughout the pandemic.

“Offering vaccination bonuses to our dedicated staff who have worked so diligently throughout the pandemic is the least we could do to acknowledge their hard work,” he said.

“The hope is that offering an additional bonus to King IT employees will encourage people who are on the fence to do some research and get the vaccine.”

He said it was a small contribution to lifting the vaccination rate.

“We have supported people with their tech when they needed it most and we want to continue to do this while keeping our staff and customers safe,” he said.

Mr King’s incentive has already started to pay off with all members of the Maroochydore, Coomera and Bundaberg stores having been vaccinated or booked in for a dose.

Robert Libby (left) said Mr King’s vaccine incentive had convinced him to book an appointment with his GP to discuss getting the vaccine. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Maroochydore King IT store manager Robert Libby said it was a “great initiative.”

“Ultimately it’s just a little bit of cash but it has prompted me to book an appointment with my GP to discuss getting AstraZeneca,” he said.

“My team have also all booked appointments to get the vaccine or with their GP.”

Mr King said all people should do their research and engage with expert opinion on vaccines.

“There does seem to be a fair bit of misinformation out there, especially on social media platforms from people who are not experts,” he said.

Mr King said the vaccine was safer than the alternative.

“You’re nine times more likely to die in a car accident on the way to work than getting thrombosis from the AstraZeneca vaccine,” he said.

He said there were plenty of AstraZeneca vaccines available and urged people over the age of 18 to check their eligibility and book an appointment for their first dose.

Originally published as King IT boss Patrick King reveals Covid-19 vaccination incentive for staff members