How are we doing?
Edward P. Salek, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report April 2020
Membership survey checks current status and guides future strategy.
Members told STLE they need more continuing education to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and commercial dynamics.
STLE members give the organization high marks for value and satisfaction, and they are counting on it for help with some significant changes and challenges in 2020 and beyond.
That’s the basic conclusion from a membership needs survey conducted in late 2019 for STLE by Association Management Center, a Chicago-area research and consulting firm.
Approximately 350 members from North America and around the world participated in the study, which will be used to help guide the STLE Board of Directors in setting strategic priorities for the next three years.
The top line numbers are encouraging in terms of STLE’s performance:
- 89% of respondents identify as satisfied or very satisfied with their STLE membership
- 92% are likely or very likely to renew
- 59% encouraged a friend or colleague to join STLE.
Why is our organization valuable? There were four top reasons cited for being a member:
1. Access to industry-specific educational programs and resources (70%)
2. Advance my career and be part of a community of peers (58%)
3. Exposure to thought leaders (56%)
4. Knowledge sharing/exposure to best practices (53%).
STLE members also described a number of professional challenges and risks that they see affecting them individually as well as their company or organization. The two most cited professional challenges were emerging/changing technology (40%) and shifting workforce demographics (34%).
More specifically, respondents see the following potential disruptors on the horizon:
- Movement toward electrification/electric vehicles.
- Low investment/funding in research, particularly lack of “high impact” research.
- Emphasis on bridging generational gap and attracting younger talent—lack of awareness/interest in the field.
- Employer/corporate management failing to understand importance of professional society participation, as well as appropriate training/education needs of employees.
To help confront these and other developments, the survey results point toward a number of programs and activities that would make STLE an even more valuable organization in the future. Among the most frequently cited were continuing education opportunities to keep pace with industry changes, more outreach to international members (seminars, training, webinars, networking) and employer advocacy (education on importance of professional membership).
In addition, respondents urged the organization to consider enhancements of the certification process, more collaboration with local sections and mentorship opportunities.
Detailed survey results are being compiled and analyzed this month and will be used by the STLE Board of Directors to update and refine the current strategic plan for the period 2020 to 2023. The new plan is still in the draft stage, but it will emphasize professional development, support for technology and innovation and advocacy for the profession, particularly as it relates to the global sustainability movement.
A fourth plan domain is organizational effectiveness, which is addressed, in part, by projects such as this membership needs study. STLE leadership views this type of activity as being the key to identifying and advancing data-driven priorities that benefits our constituents and the profession.
Watch for more specifics as the full 2020-2023 Strategic Plan is released and discussed in the coming months.
You can reach Certified Association Executive Ed Salek at esalek@stle.org.