Landscape & Amenity
January 2020 A look ahead to 2020 and beyond
www.professionalgroundscare.com
Institute of Groundsmanship recommends pay rise for grounds staff The Institute of Groundsmanship is recommending a 2.5 per cent increase in grounds staff’s national minimum salary bands for 2020. In addition, says the IOG, the amount paid in recognition of IOG qualifications should increase to £600 per band (a 4.3% increase) to ensure an ongoing focus on training and professional development. The total amount received should be directly linked to the highest qualification level held and equates to £600 for each level attained (eg £2,400 for a Level 4 qualification). The IOG’s recommendations have been made against a backdrop of “considerable uncertainty in both the economic and political context”, says the IOG which adds: “The election result could have a significant impact on public investment, expenditure, economic growth and inflation, and this has made accurate
predictions for the coming year much harder than usual.” These salary recommendations follow the publication of the IOG’s 2019 industry-wide survey, Groundsmanship – Sport’s Vital Profession, which highlighted a number of areas of concern in relation to the pay and career structure within the groundscare industry. Says IOG chief executive Geoff Webb: “Over half of head grounds staff earn more than £25,000 per annum and a fifth earn over £40,000. Feedback during interviews indicated that some head grounds staff are earning considerably more than £40,000. Clearly, the range of salaries is very wide and individuals doing similar jobs, sometimes for similar employers, can be earning significantly different salaries. “It is not clear if there is a recognised career structure within the sector,
and it is important that there is clear career progression that rewards learning and development, and a review is recommended to explore how this can best be achieved.
The IOG recommended national basic salary bands for 2020 are:
“The IOG considers it vital that in certain areas of the industry - such as at elite sports venues with worldwide focus - that there should be further analysis of roles and responsibilities, comparing not only salary levels but also the relative status of the roles within such venues.
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“Indeed, in certain situations, it may be argued that there should be no upper wage cap because the demands at individual sites are unique and evidence suggests that wages at UK venues compared to overseas sites differ greatly and, in the UK, are certainly below the earning potential of the head grounds person’s role overseas.”
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The Institute of Groundsmanship
Each year Jacobsen, a Textron Specialized Vehicles brand, opens the doors of its headquarters in Ipswich to 20 BIGGA members who have earned a place on the groundbreaking course by demonstrating their commitment to the profession and eagerness to learn. The course is intense and will push the greenkeepers out of their comfort zone, but in return they will gain access to high quality speakers and
experienced mentors who will provide the candidates with a wide range of knowledge and skills that will prove invaluable as their careers progress. Sami Strutt, head of member development at BIGGA, said: “Each of these 20 BIGGA members
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Grounds manager £36,676 - £56,817 Head groundsperson £31,280 - £42,932 Deputy head groundsperson/sole charge - £25,591 £32,662 Groundsperson (skilled) - £23,932 - £30,530 Groundsperson £19,174 - £24,460 Junior groundsperson £16,303 (Age 17) Junior groundsperson (aged 16) - £13,538.
These bands reflect minimum recommended basic salary payment and are based on a 37.5-hour week. Bonuses, overtime and subsistence payments have not been included and are therefore additional.
Regional differentials are: London Inner £3,941; London Outer £2,353; Fringe Areas £704 - £1,413. Other UK regions are broadly similar in their pay levels.
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The recommended minimum pay rate for a groundsperson in London should be set at £21,000 (Outer) and £22,500 (inner). The IOG would also encourage employers to become a Living Wage Employer by gaining accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation. This has been shown to enhance job satisfaction and improves the reputation of the employer.
BTME Preview
Introducing the next generation of turf managers The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association has revealed the 20 ambitious greenkeepers who will participate in the Future Turf Managers Initiative 2020.
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Regional pay variations have been taken into account, with higher cost areas of the country expected to make salary awards at the upper levels of the appropriate band.
Relationships renewed at Glasgow Golf Club
has demonstrated a commitment to continuing professional development and we’re delighted to welcome them into the ranks of FTMI graduates, who are now embarking upon careers in golf course management.” BIGGA
Founded as a members club in 1787, Glasgow Golf Club is proud of its heritage as the ninth oldest golf club in the world. Between them, course managers Brian Dickson at Glasgow Gailes and Stuart Taylor at Killermont have nearly 70 years of experience leading their respective greenkeeping teams. They have recently re-established their working relationship with local John Deere dealer Nairn Brown Ltd of Busby by investing in a John Deere Financial deal for new course maintenance equipment worth more than £1 million in total, spread over five years. The finance package, a mix of mostly contract hire plus some finance lease, includes John
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Deere’s PowerGard Maintenance and Protection Plus service and repair plans, which provide comprehensive, budgeted cover for the full five-year period. A total of 19 John Deere machines plus a Tru-Turf greens roller were initially delivered this summer, with the greater number going into Glasgow Gailes. These include E-Cut hybrid electric triplex greens mowers plus PrecisionCut walk-behind greens mowers and fairway mowers, tees & surrounds and TerrainCut rotary rough mowers, two ProGator utility vehicles equipped with amenity turf sprayers (one featuring a Rogers covered spray boom), XUV Gators and 4R Series compact tractors. John Deere
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