As we navigate through the still uncharted waters of 2022, our Leadership Team, composed of Executive Directors and senior management, shares more predictions for the year, based on industry trends and what they’ve experienced first-hand.
- It’s time to reassess “legacy projects”. Now is the time to reevaluate the events, education programs, publications and other initiatives that require significant resources but are underperforming, not meeting the needs of members or contributing to the mission of the organization. Be bold and don’t be afraid to cut. Resources can be better allocated to projects that provide more value.
- Focus on even more options for membership levels. Analyze current membership levels and structures to provide more customized options (such as a membership that includes meeting attendance OR access to enduring content – people can still be members and save money and chose to attend, either in person or not; either way they are saving).
- Develop online communities year-round. This will energize and engage audiences throughout the year. instead of just around the time of the annual conference and will ultimately result in increased attendance and member satisfaction.
- Provide meeting attendees with a compelling reason to attend in-person. Demonstrate value; eliminate any frills and focus on the benefits they will receive by attending. It’s also important to accommodate the needs of those who decide to attend at the last minute.
- Trends indicate people are leaving the workforce, many of them are retiring early. This could lead to increased volunteers for associations at every level for those who have decided to leave their day jobs. This is especially true of women, providing an opportunity to focus on this demographic for volunteer recruitment.
- There will be an increased focus on peer-to-peer support and development. People have missed being in the company of one another, both in terms of friends/family, but also within their professions. There could be an increased focus on support and social activities in addition to education. This relates to mental wellness topics and providing resources to members on how to achieve that. As an example, hold a session on “photography for wellness” to teach attendees how to take pictures of nature and the outdoors, which promotes a sense of wellness and peace.
- Generational changes are affecting some professions. Certain professions are seeing their workforce aging, without a lot of interest from the younger generation – there could be a renewed focus on raising awareness to make it more attractive to new audiences.
- 2022 will continue with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as a top priority, with associations and nonprofits at various stages of developing actionable approaches to integrate these values into their cultures at all levels. The ability and actions taken to address DEI and corporate social responsibility and address discrepancies are increasingly scrutinized by members, customers, staff and society at-large. DEI touches all aspects of the organization:
- Adopting and reflecting DEI and corporate responsibility values in the culture of the organization and its meetings, events, and activities
- Inclusive and diverse leadership, committees, and volunteerism
- Speaker and topic diversity at meetings and education programs
- Accessibility of product and services
- Evolving policies and procedures to create a more diverse workplace
- Supplier and vendor diversity
- Environmental impact