A surge of free offerings for members and nonmembers during the pandemic led to increased engagement and stronger advocacy efforts. Find out how to keep leveraging those offers to enhance value and build relationships. When the pandemic hit, many associations responded to member needs immediately with free resources to help them navigate the crisis. Now that we have emerged (mostly) from crisis mode, does it still make sense to offer free resources to members and nonmembers? The answer [...]

In response to what it calls a “national economic emergency,” the U.S. Chamber of Commerce unveiled a new program to help America’s employers fill jobs. A new initiative —America Works—launched by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation aims to mobilize industries and the government to rapidly address America’s deepening worker shortage crisis with actionable solutions. “This is Operation Warp Speed for Jobs,” said Suzanne Clark, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber [...]

Horace Emery,CPA, shared information your accountant and auditor may want you to know for 2021. While PPP loans are no longer available, you need to make sure you've completed the paperwork for the loan forgiveness.  There are deadlines. Consult your CPA to see if you're eligible for the employee retention credit (ERC) when you file taxes. Advertising revenue is potentially taxable as unrelated business income (UBIT).  Conditions apply, so consult your CPA. If your conference, convention or trade [...]

When supervisors hover over employees, it’s usually because of a lack of trust. If you think your boss is micromanaging you, first take some time for introspection, and then work on communication. Q: My manager has always been a bit of a micromanager, but since we’ve been working remotely, he’s gotten worse. As we move into a hybrid workplace with a few days a week in the office, I’m concerned he may carry over his new habits and [...]

When the publisher of Associations Now took his first business trip in more than a year, he had to dust off his old travel know-how. Familiar annoyances on the road were eclipsed by the joy of (tentatively) reconnecting with colleagues in person. Here’s his firsthand account. It had been more than 450 days of saying hello to clients virtually from my attic office, but I finally hit the road last week to attend a hospitality industry event in Florida. I [...]

Finding out what your members want and need by analyzing how they interact with your website helps increase value, guide content, and create a more responsive experience for members. Here are a few metrics to track to help you reach your digital goals. Now more than ever, associations must demonstrate value to retain their members. One of the keys to accomplishing this is to streamline website content and navigation to create optimized user experiences. However, data is often [...]

With more organizations working remotely these days, the risks of cybercrimes have skyrocketed. Proactive associations can take three simple steps to reduce the chances of being taking advantage of by financial scammers and cybercriminals. When the pandemic first struck, associations had to react quickly. Large, in-person events were canceled, membership dropped due to global economic forces, and many transitioned staff to remote work. These massive shifts in the landscape required groups to remake themselves almost overnight. In hindsight, [...]

Hosting a staff meeting across mediums can sound daunting. Framing your meetings as a part of your culture can help everyone stay on the same page. We’re about to live in a world where there may be two audiences for every team meeting—one face-to-face and another in their living rooms. And people running these are going to have to figure out a way to work with both audiences at the same time. Is it possible? Organizational culture expert [...]

As many association professionals continue to work from home, they’re looking for new ways to battle burnout, Zoom fatigue, and isolation. This spring, take advantage of the warmer weather and longer days to recharge. Spring is here, COVID-19 vaccines are readily available, and the cold days of winter are behind us—it’s much easier not to feel cooped up at home these days. However, remote work is still the norm for many professionals, which means they shouldn’t abandon the remote [...]

It’s been a long time since professionals have worked together in a shared space, and returning to that environment could be stressful. Here’s how to help employees through this transition. A return to the office is becoming more and more realistic for organizations. But coming back will probably lead to some form of reentry anxiety among employees. Whether it’s health and safety concerns, social anxiety after a year of working alone, or worries about reacclimating to a shared workspace, organizations [...]