As workplaces adapt to the challenges brought by COVID-19, new research provides some guidance for helping leader with their strategic decision-making processes.
Businesses faced unprecedented changes, disruptions and threats to their operating models in 2020, and yet it’s still hard to know which of those changes will be fleeting and which new policies and behaviors are here to stay.
A survey of nearly 1000 association and nonprofit members and staff provides leaders with some insight.
Your digital networks are crucial. More than half of all respondents said it is important for their association to provide digital networking and a digital community. While associations have historically leaned on routine in-person meetings, they must all provide digital networking opportunities.
While productive and meaningful connections can take more time to navigate and nurture in a virtual world, people are adapting and finding themselves more engaged than before. According to Personify’s research, 48 percent of members said they were more engaged in
Virtual engagement is here to stay. Even when it’s safe to return to in-person events, only a minority of members surveyed want to engage in them. Only 15 percent said they would want a mostly or entirely in-person event (under the assumption that it is safe) in the second half of this year, with 50 percent of members preferring a mostly or entirely virtual event, and 33 percent preferring a combination of virtual and in-person for 2021.
Skills and certifications matter. Cited as the top reason members continue to engage with their association, members want not only networking opportunities, but avenues to learn and grow in their field.
Associations provide value and resources to members. Belonging to an is still important to people. Creating more robust websites that offer more digitized content is one way to offer your members additional resources. Re-evaluate what you offer members, and make sure you’re allowing for ample passive and active engagement.
