Why sport loses under-30 talent, and how applicant tracking software can boost retention

From the roar of the crowd as the ball hits the back of the net, to the polite applause at a golf ball placed beautifully on the green, the allure of professional sports is a draw for many.  

While most of us will only ever dream of serving that winning ace at Wimbledon, the opportunity of working in the orbit of such elite talent is a big pull too. So why is retention such an issue for the sector? Under-30s (Gen-Z) are leaving the sector after just a few seasons. It seems the prestige of working for these organisations simply isn’t enough to make them stay. So, what’s the issue, what pressures are they facing that older workers might not be?  

With high-profile sponsorships and broadcasting deals, sport appears to be a wealthy industry, but the fact is that most major sports organisations run lean. The magic of matchday happens with tight budgets, irregular hours and staffing levels that ebb and flow with seasonal peaks and, of course, league positions.  

This article looks at the disparity many young staff feel between a club’s profile and their own payslips, and the quiet signals that shape their decision to leave. We’ll explore the practical shifts that attract the right talent and make early sport careers feel fair, liveable and worth going the distance for.  

We’ll cover:

• The wealth illusion
• Why under-30s leave
• Why pay clarity matters
• How patterns and small costs push people out 
• Why (route) honesty is the best policy 
• Turning a season into a career.

The wealth illusion

From the outside at least, top-flight sport exudes abundance. Broadcast trucks, global brand names heavily promoted on sponsorship boards, and packed corporate hospitality venues all signify wealth. It’s easy to appreciate that those looking to work in sport might assume staff life mirrors the spectacle.

But inside, the picture is more mixed. Beyond the higher echelons of the sports professionals and top-level Directors, many operational roles are part time or seasonal. Budgets rise and fall with form, and fixtures. Teams are expanded to cover peaks and then contract again. None of this means that the work lacks value. On the contrary the roles are vital for the club’s success. But when an initial conversation about salary takes place within metres of a cabinet full of silverware, expectations and reality collide. Often, the issue isn’t the figure itself, but the lack of a clear plan for how that figure might grow.

There’s no denying that the prestige of having a major sporting organisation on your CV is a huge positive for early career talent. But to improve retention rates, the job has to offer more than just a line on a CV.  

Open and honest communication, including transparent salary bands and clear outlines regarding the potential for progression are important; not just for peace of mind, but as signals that shape trust.  

Why under-30s leave 

Exit stories are rarely dramatic. It’s ‘death by a thousand cuts’ rather than one big event. And it tends to come down to two factors: what workers need, and a lack of operational clarity.  

Younger staff aren’t necessarily looking for fancy titles, they want: 

• a steady income
• a visible career path
• to understand what they need to learn and who’s teaching them
• a better work-life balance  
• a sense of involvement. 

Employees understand that sports organisations operate outside of normal ‘business’ hours. All they ask for is some predictability. This isn’t about being inflexible, it’s about being able to deliver on their personal responsibilities: pay their bills, care for their children, and enjoy time with their families too. It’s not a huge ask.  

When rotas aren’t clear, schedules change at the last minute and there seems to be no clear progression pathway, staff understandably become frustrated. No matter how closely they feel affiliated with the club, if they cannot plan their lives, or see themselves progressing, they won’t wait to see what happens. They will vote with their feet.  

Why pay clarity matters

A lack of transparency around pay is a red flag for early career talent. People in their 20s tend to ask two questions around salary: “how much is it now” and “will it change when I learn the job.”  If pay ranges aren’t clear on application, candidates might assume that pay is discretional or dealt with on a case-by-case basis. This “fog” around pay will push young people towards sectors that publish salary bands and clear steps for progression – even when those salaries aren’t huge. Clarity, reliability, a sense of consistency and fairness is hugely appealing to early career talent. 

A fair and transparent process lowers anxiety around pay. It allows people to plan, and it builds trust. The same holds true for allowances, such as late finish premiums, travel reimbursements and kit/uniform support. None of this should be a mystery.  

Clear, easily accessible information detailing allowances, how to claim them, and timeframes for reimbursement are major plus points for younger team members. They alleviate worry about the end of the month and allow them to plan. 

Salary transparency doesn’t just help existing team members. It’s of huge benefit to your recruitment process too. Publishing salary bands helps align expectations early. Candidates feel fairly treated from the get-go. This is where technology can do the heavy-lifting. Using a system that mandates or prompts for salary ranges at the job requisition stage ensures no job goes live with “competitive” as a placeholder. Offering immediate clarity to applicants.  

While of course, work can be done to prevent the attrition of early career colleagues, a focus on setting out clear signals for new hires will be of universal use. For example, including salary ranges in job ads for the roles you hire most frequently. Adding notes on allowances to your career pages and showing clear progression pathways on your website also helps. This transparency builds confidence in your employer brand and helps bring in talent that understands from day one what pay they’ll receive, and how they might progress.  

Dedicated careers pages and careers microsites are a valuable tool for helping candidates and existing team members. It’s a central place where they can check key information about their roles – better than a printed staff handbook that’s lost by week 2! This provides much needed transparency and helps manage expectations. And this isn’t labour intensive work. Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are an efficient way of making your hiring process fairer and more consistent. They also automate and auto-populate careers pages as vacancies arise, reducing time-intensive admin and keeping websites current.  

How patterns and small costs push people out

Different sports have different patterns. Football and rugby have obvious weeknight and weekend peaks, cricket and tennis flex with the weather and tournaments. What’s important is recognising those patterns and planning accordingly. No one expects sports careers to run weekdays from 9-5, but equally, no one should be expected to put their lives on hold for work.  

Improving early career retention is about predictability where you can give it, and clarity where you can’t. By publishing rotas at a set time, and as much in advance as is reasonably possible, colleagues can plan. Setting clear rules about swaps and signposting internal sign-off routes reduces the pressure on all parties.  

This is why careers sites are a vital HR tool. These dedicated hubs hold your policies, procedures, and progression pathways. They’re part of your employee value proposition, showcasing your culture and employee stories, but also offering simple access to important information employees and candidates need to be able to find easily. From rota notice periods to expense payment timings, a careers site pays dividends. Not only does it become a central repository for all your employee information, but it also serves as a quiet signal of trust, digitised and visible.  

When it comes to recruitment, be transparent. Add statements in your job ads about working patterns, and the minimum notice periods for changes. By doing this, you ensure candidate expectations are managed before they even apply. Allowing candidates to make informed decisions. 

Small costs are another issue that can have a big impact for Gen Z workers. Travel costs paid weeks late, or extra parking fees for late finishes can lead to anxiety and real cash-flow issues. Prompt, fair reimbursement is respect in practice.  

Ultimately, the aim is to recognise patterns and pitfalls and deal with them head on. Don’t sell a fantasy. Give applicants enough information to choose well. If your newest hires begin work with a clear understanding of working patterns, reimbursement, salary and progression, they’re more likely to stay the course.  

Why (route) honesty is the best policy

Many sports organisations and venues rely heavily on casual staff. They keep programmes running and doors open. For some, this casual work is the perfect arrangement. For others, who view this as an opportunity to get a foot in the door, it raises questions as to how they move to more permanent roles.  

As with (almost) everything in life, honesty is the best policy. Being candid about the current hiring situation, while also showing potential routes for those who want it, builds trust on both sides.  

If budgets limit permanent posts, then it’s important to say so from the start. Be transparent. Remember, not everyone is looking for a permanent role. But those who  are need to see clear pathways – even if they aren’t currently available. Consider offering examples of work and skills they might gain in the meantime to prepare them for the next step.  

Creating a clean process, with tangible steps to progress (skills learnt, training undertaken, responsibilities taken on, mentoring etc.) shows that efforts will be rewarded when vacancies arise. It also demonstrates transparency and fairness, which not only supports managers, but also encourages early career candidates to stay the course.  

And don’t forget to tell your internal stories. This isn’t about glossy, highly produced videos. It’s about clear examples of others who made the move to a permanent position. This is evidence that your progression routes exist. Dedicated careers microsites are a great way to showcase the stories of real people within your organisation, and the pathways they’ve taken to their permanent roles. These stories work so much harder for you than a simple line about potential progression on a job description. Don’t just tell them, show them!  

Modern ATS platforms allow you to build these internal stories into your careers site with ease, using simple drag and drop modules. This lets you showcase real-life (and up to date) progression stories and training opportunities. Transforming a static job board into a dynamic offering for casual staff.  

Turning a season into a career

Top-tier sport only happens because thousands of staff and volunteers keep their promises. They show up. Week after week, in the cold, in the wet, and often in the darkness, to deliver great sporting spectacles. Working in this energy-charged environment is a thrill. But it’s also hard work. As a nation, we are passionate about sport, but passion alone does not pay the rent. Unpredictable rotas, missing salary ranges and foggy progression pathways are all pushing emerging talent out of the sector.  

But none of this signals a death toll for sports careers. Three simple fixes can make a huge difference: pay people can understand, patterns they can plan around and progression steps they can name. These three things offer clarity and build trust.  

Putting a focus on your hiring process is a great way of ensuring that these measures are embedded in your HR practices. Automation is the key here. Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) offers consistent, equitable and fair hiring. Allowing you to publish standard information around salary scales, remuneration and work schedules consistently with every job vacancy.  

Fully-branded careers pages and sites are spaces to tell your stories, set out your working patterns and promises and show progression routes that everyone can access. Implementing these simple changes allow you to reduce attrition rates, and perhaps more importantly, attract talent that understands the job, the pay, the patterns and progression, before they apply. Helping you make the right hire first time. And when these things are all in place, Gen Z talent will happily build their lives around your sporting calendars.