Mega & Super Mega Webinar New Member Orientation as a Retention Tool

2 Mega / Super Mega Chapter Staff Contacts Your hosts: Karen Verrico, CAE SHRM Field Services Director Shelly Trent, SPHR SHRM Field Services Director

3 New Member Orientation as a Retention Tool  SHRM has recently learned that some SHRM members rarely visit SHRM.org – they simply don’t know what’s there, and some members rely on their local chapters for education about SHRM  Having SHRM members in your chapter drives up your Chapter Financial Support from SHRM and increases your SHRM member percentage  You can retain members to your chapter by conducting a meaningful orientation for new chapter members, just as you do in your own workplace

4 New Member Orientation as a Retention Tool  Do you have an orientation program? Is it successful?  Consider some of these ideas: – What information you provide and how you conduct new member orientation impacts your recruitment and retention initiatives. – It is a good idea to conduct new member orientation on a regular basis (some chapters hold it once or twice per year). – Make each member feel welcomed. Educate them about the history of the chapter: When was it founded? When did it affiliate with SHRM? What are the mission/vision/goals? What are the accomplishments?

5 New Member Orientation as a Retention Tool  Consider some of these ideas: – Educate them about the contacts for the chapter: Who are the board members and what roles do they play? If the new member wants to volunteer, how does he/she go about it? – Provide a hard-copy folder or notebook with important information, such as board contact information, the annual meeting calendar, a volunteer interest form, the latest newsletter, information about SHRM national benefits, and the code (0118) to get a first-time member discount. (People tend to read hard-copy information more than what’s online. SHRM has started to send out new member packets in hard copy again.) – Consider giving each new member a small gift of some kind with the chapter logo, such as a notepad or lapel pin.

6 New Member Orientation as a Retention Tool  Consider some of these ideas: – You might also provide a brochure about the chapter’s offerings, such as certification study groups, LinkedIn/Facebook/Twitter account addresses, special networking groups, scholarships, mentor programs, etc. – Make sure that the group of members at the orientation leave feeling that they have made new connections and have their questions answered. – Provide an overview of your website – where do they find answers? How do they register and pay for meetings?

7 New Member Orientation as a Retention Tool  Consider some of these ideas: – Take about five minutes to review benefits of SHRM membership – this will increase your financial support from SHRM and your membership percentages if the members join SHRM. Your SHRM Regional Administrator can send you materials to include in your packets, such as member benefits guides, and HR Magazine, certification collateral, and more! – Consider having new member ambassadors so that for the first 3-6 months of membership, a veteran member contacts the new member to remind him/her of upcoming meetings, sitting together, answering questions, etc.

8 New Member Orientation as a Retention Tool  Consider some of these ideas: – Be sure to take a few minutes at each chapter meeting to have the new members stand for introductions. Have a board member sit with new members to make them feel welcomed and answer any questions. Roll out the red carpet to ensure your new members are retained for years to come!

9 New Member Orientation as a Retention Tool  Let’s hear from YOU!  What are your most successful practices in new member orientation?  What works and what doesn’t in your chapter?

10 New Member Orientation as a Retention Tool  Any other topics or issues today?  Future topics for our webinars?  Thank you for your participation and for your volunteer work for SHRM! Karen Verrico, CAE SHRM Field Services Director Shelly Trent, SPHR SHRM Field Services Director