The publishing landscape may be evolving, but members remain the lifeblood of any society. There’s success to be gained from engaging Early Career Members (ECRs) – and yet, the numbers suggest that societies aren’t making the most of opportunities with this group. So why and how should this change?

Counteracting the flow of outgoing members

Each year, between 10% and 12% of members leave a society. About 15% of these members leave their society because they are retiring, but there are other stand-out reasons:

• Loss of funding source – 25%
• Lack of professional value – 18%
• Lack of support for career advancement – 15%
• Lack of communication – 15%

There are different ways that societies can improve their offering to members, especially when it comes to career support. But how can societies replace those who retire, move away, or change their jobs? Attracting ECRs is therefore crucial.

The role of ECRs in society success
ECRs (that is, researchers with under 5 years experience) constitute around 1 in 5 researchers. Numbers of ECRs are higher in Central Asia, Africa, and the Asia Pacific, and less common in the US and Europe. But whichever way you look at it, this is a sizeable group and there can be little doubt that your society needs them.  

ECRs present a key opportunity for attracting new members and keeping membership numbers stable – and even increasing them. However, societies could do more to engage with this group; 40% of all of those who have never been a member of a society are ECRs. 

So how do you attract ECRs to your society?
To some extent, it may be a question of communication - 42% of non-members have never been asked to join a society. However, top reasons ECRs join a society include:

• Their society works closely with universities to engage interested students – 58%
• Newer members have increased access to educational materials – 58%
• ECRs get tools and content to help promote themselves (via social media, for example) – 52%
• They get support for achieving certification (such as study materials and support groups) – 52%
• ECRs get paired with experienced members in a mentoring program – 52%

Whether you focus on career support, tools for self-promotion, or providing content aimed specifically at ECRs, there are many methods that societies can use to encourage ECRs to join. Not only will you be helping the researchers of the future, but you’ll also be ensuring your society’s longevity. Everybody wins.