City of Bee Cave Launches Worker Appreciation Discount
Card to Help Recruit Staff to Area Businesses
At its first quarterly Mayor’s Business Roundtable of 2023,
the City of Bee Cave announced to business owners the launch of a 78738 Worker Appreciation
Card as a recruitment tool for businesses that have struggled to find staff. Home
prices in the 78738-zip code have steadily increased over the years, with the
average home price hitting over 1 Million in 2022, making it increasingly unaffordable
for people who work in the service, retail and the education industries to live
in the area. While the Bee Cave City Council has been looking at workforce
housing options for more long-term solutions to the staffing crisis, the City is
working with area businesses to offer perks for people who choose to work in
Bee Cave over surrounding cities.
“This idea actually came out of a previous business
roundtable we held,” says Bee Cave Mayor Kara King. “We knew that was something
we could help put together immediately. This is one way we can thank folks who
work in our City and show that we all, as a community, appreciate and value
them.”
So far, more than 20 businesses have offered discounts on
products or services, with dozens more expected to sign up in the coming month.
The 78738-worker appreciation card comes on the heels of a gas card program the
city created in cooperation with the Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce to help
workers who commute more than 15 miles each way pay for gas through the holiday
season. Through contributions from businesses and the community, as well as a dollar-for-dollar
match from Bee Cave’s Economic Development Corporation, the City was able to issue
more than $14,000 worth of gas cards in October, November and December.
“We had some workers commuting more than 50 miles each way
to come work at various businesses in Bee Cave,” says Dori Kelley, Bee Cave
Business Communications’ Specialist. “Getting a gas card each month to help pay
the cost of fuel made them feel appreciated and helped them continue to work
here, especially during our busiest shopping season.”
In order to qualify for the discounts through the 78738 card,
workers must present the physical card at participating locations, which can be
found on Bee Cave Economic Development Corporation’s website.
With thousands of employees in the City of Bee Cave, city
leaders hope the card will also help businesses gain new customers and increase
their visibility in the area.