Engaging the Next Generation of Association Members

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Engaging the Next Generation of Association
Members

• Arthur C. Brooks, PhD
• The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public
  Affairs
• Syracuse University

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• What everybody knows
• Associations face a generational crisis

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• The truth about Gen-X
• Which associations will prosper?
• Action steps

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• GI Elders (born before 1925)
• Silent Generation (1925-1945)
• Retired
• Still working
• Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
• Gen-X (1965-1975)
• Gen-Y (1976- )

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Live Births per 1,000 Population in the U.S.
Source U.S. Bureau of the Census
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Slackers?

• A generation of non-joiners
• Younger workers dont care about their jobs

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Trade and Professional Association Membership
Levels
Source 2004 Maxwell School Poll of Civil Society
Source 2004 Maxwell School Poll of Civil Society
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• Age ? generation
• Theres nothing wrong with Gen-Xthey were just
  young
• The common intuition was wrong

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Association Membership of Baby Boomers and
Generation X, by Age
Source General Social Survey data, various years
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Projected Numbers of Association Members
Source 2000 Social Capital Community Benchmark
Survey, U.S. Census populations projections
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Things look bright.
but obviously, not every association is going to
prosper
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• The truth about Gen-X
• Which associations will prosper?
• Action steps

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How to win

• Be lucky
• Associations in growing industries have an
  advantage
• 2. Be good
• Associations that provide the right benefits to
  members will prosper

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Industry Job Growth (millions) Employment
services 1.58 Local government schools,
colleges, and other educational
services 0.78 Local government, excluding
education and hospitals 0.76 Offices of
physicians 0.76 Full-service restaurants 0.70 Ge
neral medical and surgical hospitals,
private 0.65 Limited-service eating
places 0.59 Home healthcare services 0.54 Colleg
es, universities, and professional schools,
private 0.47 Management, scientific, and
technical consulting services 0.47 Computer
systems design and related services 0.45 State
government schools, colleges, and other
educational services 0.44 Community care
facilities for the elderly 0.32 Child daycare
services 0.30 Accounting, tax preparation,
bookkeeping, and payroll services 0.28 Hotel
(except casino), motels, and all other traveler
accommodation 0.24 Offices of dentists 0.24 Elem
entary and secondary schools, private 0.22 Religi
ous organizations 0.20 Janitorial and other
building services, except landscaping pest
control 0.19
2004-2014 Source Bureau of Labor Statistics
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High-End Idea Professions are Ascendantand
so are the Associations in these Professions

• Higher education
• Financial Services
• IT

• Consulting
• Design services
• Medicine

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• Prized characteristics in idea professions
• Entrepreneurship
• Creativity
• Individuality
• Success means developing these characteristics
• It can also mean job-hopping and career-changing

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• Happy Gen-Xers still have needs, though
• Associations that provide the right benefits will
  prosper

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Key Benefits Associations Can Provide

• Career networks and advantages
• Ideas and education
• Portable fringe benefits
• Community
• Opportunities to serve

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Association members are most satisfied with their
jobs
Percent who are very satisfied with their job
Source GSS 2004
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Association members earn the most
Source GSS 2004
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Associations are where the happiest, most
productive professionals meet

• Through association involvement, upwardly-mobile
  professionals

Identify themselves Learn from one another Form
communities of winners
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Associations are good for employers, too
Source GSS 2004
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Association Members
A third less likely to have plans to quit
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Gen-X and Gen-Y Members
42 less likely to quit than same-aged
non-members
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Associations
Are where the happy winners meet in the modern
economy

• Understanding and communicating this will lead
  to growing association involvement

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• The truth about Gen-X
• Which associations will prosper?
• Action steps

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Sell Association Benefits

• Associations are good for Gen-X workers in
  specific ways
• Associations are good for companies who want
  happy, effective employees
• We should be working with members and their
  companies

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Lessons

• Generation X looks promising
• The associations that understand the value sought
  by younger professionals and deliver it will
  prosper
• This means thinking about association benefits in
  a new way