IOG U P D AT E
What’s in a name?
EVERYTHING!
The IOG is calling an EGM to vote on its proposed name change to the Grounds Management Association. Chief executive Geoff Webb explains more...
W By Colin Hoskins Features editor
e are at a critical juncture of our existence. Extensive research shows that we need to change in order to survive. The proposed new name, the Grounds Management Association, is fresh and modern while remaining true to our rich heritage and history. It’s vital that we attract a new pipeline of recruits to the profession and an army of volunteers. We are confident that the new name will: Appeal to a younger generation. We urgently need to attract more young people to the industry as only one in five working in groundscare are below the age of 30, and 40 per cent of our current workforce are aged over 50. One in five grounds managers will be leaving their jobs within the next five years Show to governing bodies and the general public that they need to value the vital work that grounds staff do, which should lead to more investment and recruitment Remove gender from our title – one in five respondents to a recent survey said ‘groundsmanship’ is a barrier to attracting new talent.
The industry’s demographic is compounded by the fact that some employers are choosing not to recruit new, replacement staff when an existing member leaves or retires. So, it is clear: we have a crisis looming – and that time bomb doesn’t just apply to professionals: more than two-thirds of community grounds volunteers are aged over 60, and almost all are over 50. We need to address these issues now. 20 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020
NEW OBJECTIVES
It is imperative to the continued success of the industry that we attract new recruits, including women (only 2% of grounds professionals and volunteers are female) and BAME groups (only 1%), while promoting the great work and the innovative and highly technical pitch care regimes that are performed daily by individuals and teams up and down the country. We will also continue to shine a light on the companies that provide the world-leading products and services that help make the UK the turf sector’s world leader. The suggested new name (and the clarity it brings) will also enable us to assume the best possible, strongest position to promote our ‘Grounds for Sport’ campaign to the public through, for example, national media. The campaign seeks to underline how the improvement and maintenance of natural and artificial turf surfaces are vital to sport nationwide. In addition to promoting the status of the profession, the campaign – in terms of natural turf provision alone – is designed to ‘re-boot’ the benefits of grass pitches by working to create: Better pitches More investment More and higher qualified grounds staff And to raise the status of the profession. The IOG Board – which includes practising grounds managers representing all sectors of the industry – has voted unanimously for the name change. Members firmly believe that the suggested new title will not only enable us to appeal to a wider and more diverse audience, but that this more ‘current’ name will also attract greater inward investment and support, as
