According to Knight Frank’s 2025 Estate Staff Salary Survey, rural estates are facing difficulty in attracting and retaining the right people, despite a decade of steady wage increases.
Of those surveyed, 87% of estates say it is becoming harder to attract good staff, while almost 60% say retention is also becoming more difficult.
“Employing the right people has never been more important,” says partner Alastair Paul. “However, a consistent theme over the last ten or so years of us publishing our Estate Staff Salary Survey has been the difficulty rural estates have attracting employees. This year’s instalment is no different.”
The survey reports that average base salaries have risen significantly, with estate directors now earning over £103,000 on average and skilled farmworkers averaging more than £34,000. However, many estates still rely on personal judgement as the primary method for setting pay, rather than using transparent benchmarking or formal review processes.
Additionally, only 14% of estates said they operated a formal bonus scheme, with the majority of bonus amounts determined arbitrarily, rather than as a structured percentage of salary or performance-based metric.
“There could be more structure placed around bonuses to ensure the best employees feel valued for their contribution to the business,” advises Mr Paul.
The report also highlights the shifting profile of estate roles and the need to attract professionals with higher-level qualifications, particularly for technology-based or environmental positions such as environmental directors or geospatial analysts.
“People with the right skills for these types of jobs are often in demand by other higher-paying or more ‘fashionable’ sectors that may have a greater appeal to younger workers,” he notes. “Clarity around estate purpose and values as well as their brand are key for potential new employees.
“We’re seeing estates recognise that salary alone isn’t solving their recruitment challenges,” Mr Paul adds. “The professionals they need, particularly for environmental and technology roles, have options across multiple sectors. Success increasingly depends on presenting a clear value proposition that goes beyond pay.
“This means being more systematic about compensation structures and considering flexible working arrangements where appropriate, but also being clearer about the estate’s purpose and the meaningful work on offer. We’re helping clients think more strategically about their position in the job market – not just what they’re paying, but how they’re presenting themselves as employers.”
The full Spring/Summer 2025 Rural Report, where the results of the Estate Staff Salary Survey are available to view in full, can be found at: https://publications.knightfrank.com/the-rural-report/ss25/
