Grounds Professionals are Underpaid, Under-trained and Underrated, says IOG Survey
Published Date: 04/04/2008
Grounds professionals are underpaid, under-trained and underrated. These are some of the conclusions of a groundbreaking industry-wide survey of the UK grounds management industry by the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG).
The survey – which valued the industry* at around £580 million – reveals that:
- Salaries are low compared to other industries – over 33 per cent of respondents earn between £15,000 and £19,999;
- Forty per cent of grounds professionals have not had any training during the past 12 months – and a similar number feel they would benefit from additional training; and
- Less than half of respondents suggest their employers have a “very good” understanding of the skills required by their jobs.
Carried out on behalf of the IOG during 2007/2008 by consultancy TrioPlus, the ‘Grounds management – a hidden profession’ survey included more than 300 face-to-face interviews with grounds professionals to arrive at measurable data.
The survey profiled the industry – the people, their entry and career, salaries, job satisfaction and training – and assessed its scale and economic value. It concludes that the grounds management and maintenance sector in England represents an annual revenue spend of more than £580 million, and highlights that there are approximately 20,000 full-time employees plus over 20,000 volunteers.
Importantly, the survey’s extensive results also found that the industry:
- Does not attract females – only 0.4 per cent of workers are women;
- Is largely staffed by 40- to 49-year-olds; and
- Offers limited career progression and movement.
Commenting on the findings, IOG chief executive Geoff Webb says: “As part of our six-year Challenging Perceptions strategy, it was important for the IOG to set out to determine the actual size of the industry because such data was non-existent. But for the industry to have any hope of raising its profile with Government and the public, it is essential we ‘scoped’ the sector to arrive at qualitative statistics.
“The findings are no surprise, in certain respects – ie, the low remuneration, training and recognition – and these issues are, in fact, the drivers on which the IOG is moving forward under its six-year Challenging Perceptions strategy.
“Among all the issues raised, perhaps one of the most worrying is the fact that the industry does not appeal to younger people, due largely to poor salary and potential training and progression issues.
“The survey has found that one third of respondents, notably younger people, were less than satisfied with their current position - and employers noted they could not recruit young people with the right qualifications.
“It is clear that the IOG – and the industry generally – has a massive job ahead of it – hence our recent call for a new ‘national umbrella federation’ that can speak as one cohesive voice to Government, sports governing bodies and employers to best serve the interests of everyone involved in the sector.”
*Based on the management and maintenance of grass and artificial surfaces for sports in England, excluding parks and other open spaces.
