From yesterday, booster doses became available at walk-in vaccine clinics to an estimated 1.2million people who received their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine four months or more ago.
During the nationwide rollout of the vaccination programme last year, there were calls from business groups for employers to support staff in getting their two doses.
Now they are renewing those calls for booster doses.
Business South chief executive Mike Collins said the new year was an ideal opportunity for businesses to encourage their staff, and also their families, to get their booster doses.
Last year’s rollout had been "very successful" and it was important to keep that momentum going, he said.
"It would great if businesses picked up their communication and messaging to staff to support the booster programme because it is going to help our immunity against the virus."
Employers could provide incentives for staff to get the jab, such as allowing paid time off work or vouchers.
It was also important that they created the space for conversation with employees to answer any questions they might have.
The bigger the percentage of the population that was vaccinated, the greater the confidence businesses had for the future, Mr Collins said.
"I think it is really important for businesses to have that confidence because we’ve had almost two years of uncertainties and unknowns," he said.
Multiple industries — including hospitality, healthcare, education and frontline borders workers — were named in the Government’s vaccination mandate last year.
The Cabinet has agreed, in principle, that those workers will need to have their boosters.
