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In 2019 we had already planned the launch of 'The People Agenda', a new way for Global Sports to join up our Sports Industry network and discuss the key issues it was facing.
Then came COVID-19.
Our industry has changed, and for the early part of 2020; it quite simply stopped as 'lockdowns' dominated and the world struggled to contain the pandemic.
Our lives, careers, businesses and Sporting Events from Grassroots through to Major Elite events were curtailed, cancelled or re-arranged.
Careers have been put on hold, digitalised, on-boarded by Zoom or sadly, have suffered as a result of redundancy.
We created the People Agenda, and the 2020 survey to enable your voice to be heard, anonymously by the leaders and organisations that make up the global Sports Industry.
Thank you to all those who participated in the survey.
With over 1000 respondents from 93 countries, covering all experience levels, sectors and across diverse ethnicities and gender identities, the results deliver providing inspiring and thought provoking insight into how the people of the sports industry feel and how they have been impacted by the events of 2020. This not includes the continued impact of COVID-19 pandemic but also topics such as Black Lives Matter, equality, Diversity and Inclusion as well as the values that are most important to sporting careers in these changing times.
Here we share the headlines from The People Agenda Survey:
The impact of COVID-19 on peoples careers has been clear with 65% of those currently unemployed believe it to be due to COVID-19. This belief is more acute amongst junior professionals with almost 80% believing their unemployment is due to the pandemic compared to 56% of senior professionals, females are also more impacted than their male counterparts with a 5% variance.
Career anxiety is being felt greatest amongst more junior professionals, those currently unemployed and in sectors that have been most impacted by the pandemic such as charities and events sectors.
This situation has understandably generated a negative impact on people’s career optimism over the next 12 months. 19% of respondents thinking they will lose their job in the next 12 months and 56% of respondents have low to average confidence about their career progression over the coming year. Career anxiety is being felt greatest amongst more junior professionals, those currently unemployed and in sectors that have been most impacted by the pandemic such as broadcast, charities and events sectors. Conversely sectors less impacted by the pandemic such as data and technology sectors, career confidence remains high.
A topic brought to the world’s attention in 2020 with the BLM movement and associated activities, putting focus on organisations people strategies and a priority to create more equal workplaces and world. While 85% of respondents believe BLM is important, with universally high representation across geographies, demographics and seniority, less than half of these thought their organisation had taken the movement seriously. Results also show a considerable variance of 35% across ethnic groups, with the majority of mixed ethnic groups believing their organisation has not done enough to support the BLM movement.
Equal opportunity needs the attention of employers with an overwhelming view from respondents that those of a white ethnicity have a ‘career progression’ advantage over other ethnic groups in the sports industry. While 49% of professionals see being of white ethnicity as an advantage when it comes to getting accepted for job opportunities. A view practically felt by younger generations and a reality organisations must aim to combat to build a better future for the sports industry.
49% of professionals see being of white ethnicity as an advantage when it comes to getting accepted for job opportunities.
There is a clear and genuine concern across the sports industry about returning to the work with over 70% worried about office life and associated social interactions. This concern is felt by all demographics and geographies with small variations that are prodinmently influenced by those in countries less impacted by the pandemic.
Events of 2020 have been instrumental in increasing the speed of change. Our work lives have been redefined and in doing so has impacted people’s career motivations and the values in the employers and the opportunities they choose. Today’s employees, fueled also by a new generation of job seekers, have a new set of requirements for their employers. Job seekers are looking for employers that are focused on supporting their work life balance and professional development with 69% of employees wanting more flexible working structures. No longer are the more traditional incentives of salary, travel and security high priorities that professionals seek.
95% of respondents being motivated by career opportunities that provide job satisfaction and the top 3 motivators all being related to personal and team wellbeing.
Career motivations are also shifting amongst sports industry professionals and graduates. With 95% of respondents being motivated by career opportunities that provide job satisfaction and the top 3 motivators all being related to personal and team wellbeing, there is a clear and positive move from status and financial reward to more humanistic motivation highlighting the future shape of our workplace and the sports industry.
This provides a snapshot into the survey results and some of the defining insights that, you, the people of the sports industry have helped create and be part of shaping the future of our industry for the better as we together build a new normal in a world defined by the events of 2020.
You can download the full survey results report HERE and learn more about the Global Sports People Agenda below.
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