Attracting the next generation of society members

Insights from the 4th annual Wiley Society Member Survey

“No man is an island.” Never has this been more true than in our present interconnected world. 17th Century poet and cleric John Donne might not have conceived of our current state of digital inter-dependency, of course, but he would have appreciated the extent to which we all rely on and collaborate with each other. Working together is the only way the research community can help meet the global challenges and opportunities we face. Understanding what inspires society members to engage in professional networks is vital to our ability to address said challenges.

The 4th annual Wiley Member Survey explores what motivates a researcher to join an academic society in the first place, and what keeps them engaged as members — their preferences and frustrations.

In this whitepaper we focus on the importance of attracting and retaining the next generation of society members. We dig into what drives the early career researcher (ECR) to join a society or association, and what they like and expect from membership. We also look at some of the barriers to joining and what might make an ECR leave a society.

Why are ECR members important? Increasing numbers of members are retiring and leaving societies, and with 10% of survey respondents reporting that they left a society in the last 12 months, it is critical that society leaders understand what will attract that next generation before it’s too late. Here, we also hope to offer some strategies to keep ECRs as lifelong members and active participants in the global academic community.

Executive Summary

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Overview of Respondents

In May and June 2018, we invited members of the research community to participate in an online survey to share their views of scientific and scholarly societies. We identified the research community via a screening question about whether people produced, consumed, or supported scientific or scholarly output. Over four years of research, the percentage of those who are currently members has increased every year from 2016 (58%) to 2017 (63%) to 2018 (67%). In this most recent survey 78% have at one time been a member of a scientific or scholarly society.

The largest proportion of respondents live in Europe (30%), but there was also strong representation from elsewhere around the world, including 19% from the USA, 15% from APAC countries, and 10% from Africa. The typical respondent has 18 years’ experience in their chosen field. Two-thirds of respondents are male and nearly half of respondents work in a university. Other places of work include research institutions (10%) and hospitals or the healthcare sector (8%). It is worth noting also that 6% of responses were from students and that early career researchers — a key demographic for societies — are more likely to be students.

1% 3% 13%15%10% 18% 40%

20+ years 16–20 years 11–15 years 6–10 years 3–5 years 1–2 years >1 year

Years’ Experience

University 46% Healthcare 8% Student 6% Research Institution 10%

Self-employed 6% Government 6% Corporation 5%

Place of Work

Asia Pacific 15%

Americas12%

Africa10%

USA19% Middle

East

7%

Central Asia

8%Europe

30%

Regions

Asia-Pacific includes the following countries: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam.Our designation of Central Asia includes the following countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.

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Though it’s natural for society members to ebb and flow, there is always a solid foundation at the core of your society. If members are leaving at a quicker rate than they are joining, there may be additional challenges ahead. Of our respondents, 10% report leaving a society in the last 12 months, mostly due to retirement (14%), but also because of other factors, such as loss of funding (28%) and job relocation (19%).

Fortunately, 23% of respondents, 15% of the total research community, have joined a society over the same time period, with growth particularly strong in developing countries, like India. And more promising still, three-quarters of members who left are likely to rejoin in the future, unless they have retired or say they didn’t see the value of society membership. There is a great opportunity for societies to recruit new and more diverse members.

But this does not mean your society is headed for a dramatic drop in membership. Our survey has reinforced the findings of previous years; that members are attracted to societies for three primary benefits: community, content, and career, and that societies continue to provide all three of those services extremely well. In particular, respondents saw the top three motivations for joining a society as attending society conferences and events, taking an active part in the academic community, and keeping up to date with industry news and information. In addition, the survey indicates that a third of potential society members would be likely to join a society if they received more direct communication or a more inclusive, welcoming environment.

These factors suggest that improved society communication, especially in developing countries where non-members are the most likely to join, will help to grow membership. Furthermore, articulating the benefits of joining and the creation of a greater variety of membership packages would offset concerns over the cost of joining.

Despite these encouraging signs, there are some challenges when it comes to member recruitment. While just under half of those who are not currently members plan to join a society in the next year, this figure is down 9% from last year. Retirement levels have increased year on year since 2016. Now more than ever, there needs to be a strong focus on keeping members and an increase in outreach to potential members by emphasizing the value societies can offer.

Active part of a community

Attend conferences and events

Expert advice

Keep up-to-date on industry news

Receive research funding

Job requirement

74.9

75.5

71

71.3

55.6

47.1

Community Content Career

Reasons for joining a society

0 % 80

Changed jobs

Moved to different region

Lack of communication

Lack of professional value

Lack of community

Mission changed

Found another society

Retired

Lost funding source362828

231615

151014

1298

1365

2714

2219

2217

1364

0 % 40

Reasons for lapse in membership

2016

2017

2018

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Why Members Join, Renew, and What Keeps Them Satisfied

The average researcher has 18 years’ experience in their field, and over 40% of respondents have more than 20 years. Importantly for our exploration of ECRs, 14% of respondents have less than 5 years’ experience, and this group tends to behave in different ways than more experienced colleagues. They are less likely to use research, for example, and they are more likely to participate in networking activities.

For the early career researcher, society membership has a different value, and their experience as members is different.

ECRLess than 5 years’ experience

ResearcherMore than 5 years’ experience

Let membership lapse because they moved to a different region

Utilize research

Never been a member

Joined a society in the past 12 months

Member of one society

Be a student

0

%4040

31%

14%

3%

14%

23%

22%

21%

26%

29%

39%

35%

32%

What does an early career researcher look like?

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Unlike those more established in their careers, they are likely to be members of just one society and they are more likely to have joined that society within the last year.

ECRs value their society membership for different reasons than those with more experience. They find being a member more beneficial to their career, and are more likely to network through their society. They also have high expectations for their society: they are more likely to let their membership lapse if they don’t feel aligned with the society mission, and less likely to recommend that their peers join a society.

Who are Early Career Researchers?

Although the society’s social media presence is not of great importance to most members, being able to engage with other members on social media is important to the early career researcher, especially for those who have been with a society for less than 12 months.

Most of our survey respondents felt social media is a key tool for reaching young potential researchers. Over a fifth (24%) thought that a social media presence on both research-related platforms and traditional platforms like Twitter would help attract ECRs, while a further 5% advocated blogs. On top of digital engagement, respondents thought working closely with universities would attract and engage interested students (20%).

19.8% Work with universities to engage students

12.1% Social media presence on research-related platforms

11.8% Social media present on traditional platforms

10.8% Create mentorship program

10.6% Provide expanded access to educational materials

10.2% Provide tools to help individuals promote themselves

8.6% Publish magazine that target ECRs

8.2% Work with employers to engage new hires

5.2% Have a blog

How best to engage with early career researchers?

How to Keep and Connect with Early Career Researchers

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So, what does this insight into early career researchers’ behavior tell us and how can that help you keep your members?

Across the board, members of all experience levels want access to content. This can come in different forms, and whether it is attending society conferences or events (64%) or receiving the society’s journal (51%), members were more likely to renew with these things in mind.

For the ECR, the most important membership benefit is the opportunity to improve their career and make connections. They want to learn about funding opportunities (43%), keep up-to-date with notable career moves (38%), and with career opportunities (31%).

Activities that members participate in

Read publications

Annual meeting

Regional meeting

Volunteer on committees

70%

57%

47%

28%

Engage with members

ECRs are less likely to engage with other members.

Engage with content

38%

31%

22%

20%

17%

Visit members-only website

Use webinars & podcasts

Engage on public social media

Society’s certifications

Buy from society’s bookstore

Network

26%

18%

15%

Career networking events

Mentoring program

Young Professional Program

ECRs are more likely to participate in networking activities.

Publish diverse contentWhile this may seem obvious, content is one of the main drivers to keep members engaged. Eighty-nine percent of researchers believe it is very important for their society to publish a journal, and they also see it as the most important way for the society to engage in the research community. It is also the second most noted reason for members to renew their membership (51%). Members who regularly read the journal are more likely to recommend membership to others. ECRs use research less than those later in their career, but by engaging them around research you can help transition them into your top members. Understanding your members, what they want to read about and in what format, will help turn them into members for life.

Communication, communication, communicationFor the early career researcher there needs to be a wide range of communication. What worked in the past no longer works for everyone. Members want more communications overall, in the form of both periodic emails and informal social media posts. Monthly emails could also keep the most at-risk members engaged. For 36% of respondents the online or print journal is the preferred means of communication, but a wider range of options and initiatives is required to meet the needs of the next generation of members.

Develop networking opportunitiesNetworking, both inside and outside of the society, fulfills one of the key criteria to for ECRs when it comes to society membership: career advancement. These members are unlikely to be leaders — yet — and are likely to be students, so providing opportunities for them to network both with peers and those who can help their careers will help keep them engaged. This may be through social media, but also face to face at conferences and society events. Creating a strategy to engage younger members in diverse ways will help keep things fresh and engaging. Networking can start before a career and contacting potential members while they are still at university may offer new opportunities for recruitment. If 38% haven’t joined a society because they haven’t been asked, then reaching out to those students at university is a great place to start. Supporting those at the start of their careers can lead to life-long members.

The 2018 survey clearly signals that the face of society and association membership is changing. Attracting new members, especially those at the beginning of their career, is vital to the future of societies. These insights can help to inform the strategies necessary to attract and engage early career researchers and nurture a long-term relationship with a society that will enrich and sustain them throughout their career and beyond.

Key Takeaways

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Acknowledgements

Our thanks to all of the individuals who participated in this survey. These insights would not have been possible without the time and opinions they shared with us.

Our thanks to Wiley colleagues Sarah Phibbs, Vice President, Society Management; Philippa Sumner, Director, Society Marketing Strategy; Alexa Dugan, Director, Society Marketing Services; and Bill Deluise, Vice President, Society Marketing, for their support in the development of our annual Member Survey and communication of this paper.

Additional thanks to Samantha Green and Anna Ehler, Society Marketing Strategy, for their support in the production of this paper.

Finally, our thanks to Joseph Stephan and the team at Broadview Analytics for providing analysis of our society member survey. This survey would not be possible without their insightful analysis, and we are grateful for their continued support and contribution to our analysis.

Authors

Jonathan RoscoeSociety Marketing Strategy

Fiona O’ConnorSociety Marketing Strategy

Joseph StephanPresident, Broadview Analytics

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About Wiley

The work societies do changes the world, and we’re here to share it. We publish more than 1,000 society journals — meaning we are unrivalled in understanding and navigating the commercial and practical challenges that societies face. Together we can engage your members, advance your research field, and create positive change through knowledge. By empowering our society partners to share their extraordinary work with more people, everyone benefits.

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