If you read 2025 President Olivier Houzé’s February 2025 JPT column or heard him speak in the past year, you likely saw his statistics on the decrease in younger professionals joining SPE or continuing their membership.
Such is obviously a concern for a variety of reasons as it goes to the long-term viability of SPE as a membership-based society. I’m not sure if the following is good or bad, but it turns out that SPE is not alone in this situation. Many nonprofit professional membership associations are reporting decreases in overall membership numbers, especially in the Millennial (born 1981–1996) and Gen Z (born 1997–2012) age groups. In fact, a recent study indicated that 28% of associations reported a decrease in membership in 2025 (actually down from a 47% decrease in 2021), and while the Millennial and Gen Z generations account for 58% of the world’s overall workforce, on average 67% of an association’s membership is comprised of members over the age of 45.
This is what I mean by not being sure whether this is good news or bad news. The bad news is that associations, including SPE, are seeing declines in membership and an aging member base. The good news is that we’re not alone in this situation, so it’s not necessarily a reflection of something SPE is or isn’t doing.
When I first began my incoming president’s year, I attended some training with Simon Seaton, SPE’s CEO/EVP, designed for association leadership and specifically geared toward the chief staff executive (Simon) and the chief elected officer (me) to get to know each other and align on how such partnerships can work most effectively for the good of the organization.
The training was offered through the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), which is comprised of professionals and organizations involved in association management. In essence, an association for associations like SPE. Not only does ASAE offer training such as what Simon and I attended, but the organization also keeps its pulse on the issues its members are dealing with—and declining membership is a major, ongoing discussion point that ASAE and similar groups are seeing across the board.
As I was drafting this column, I received the most updated SPE professional membership numbers presented in Table 1. We ended last year (31 December 2024) with a total membership of 67,243 professional members, so overall we are down around 10% in membership this year to date.
Not only is this overall decrease a concern, but so is the pipeline feeding into that overall membership number from the young professional (YP) standpoint. And while SPE breaks things down a bit differently from an age standpoint compared to my reference points above, we are still in the general trends mentioned—decreasing overall membership and low percentages in the younger age groups.
Please note that I am not arguing that membership should go up. We might be at the right number for the current state of the world; however, we still need a pipeline feeding the future.
And if you’re interested into digging into SPE’s membership numbers yourself, here is the webpage, which presents the data across a variety of categories and shows how membership has changed over the years. The “Professional Membership by Age” graph on the landing page also shows the overprint of oil price and the industry booms of the 1980s and 2000s as it moves through time.
The following discusses some of the possible reasons for these trends, but please bear with me as I also outline what SPE is doing to help reverse them.
The Million Dollar Question—Why?
We know that association memberships are declining, and the pipeline of younger members joining is slowing. That’s obvious. The question, then, becomes: why?
I belong to Generation X, those born in the 1965-1980 range. When a student first asked me why I joined SPE as a student, it took me a little off guard because I hadn’t really thought about it in quite some time. But the answer was easy: because that’s just what you did as a petroleum engineering student. I am guessing that many of you roughly in my age group, plus or minus, would answer the same. It was just expected that you joined SPE if you were in a petroleum engineering department. If you were in another degree program, it was likely just as expected that you joined the most relevant professional society.
Given the importance of this topic, ASAE and similar organizations have conducted studies on why behaviors regarding association membership have changed and continue to change. As with everything involving human behavior, the answers aren’t fully clear and can vary across different groups. However, most studies point to the following factors.
- Associations aren’t recruiting where younger professionals are gathering. In other words, traditional methods like email listservs might not work if the gathering places are LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram.
- Career trajectories are more varied than in the past. It is rare for an individual to stay with one company for decades; more often, people move between employers and hold a variety of positions. As described by Glisson (2022), “the corporate ladder is giving way to a professional jungle gym.”
- Expectations for digital content and similar offerings are higher, and greater quality is expected. Attention spans vary according to the task, but generally, digital content involves shorter focus spans. These factors highlight the need for easy-to-access and clear digital communication channels.
- The growing desire for more transactional opportunities and their associated value propositions. In other words, a membership buys the whole menu, but what if someone doesn’t want the whole menu and instead only wants certain items that appeal most to them and provide the value they need at the time?
- Work-life balance is more important than in the past. A study by Forbes indicates that 80% of Millennials consider work-life balance to be a primary determinant when considering where to work. This also impacts associations and events if membership is considered as similar to the work component of that equation. Dual-career couples can be doubly impacted if children are involved with the need for childcare.
- A sense of belonging is more difficult to achieve than in the past, and additional disconnects are causing younger members to feel like they don’t belong. This situation is amplified by the fact that younger members tend to seek only organizational cultures characterized by positivity, security, inclusion, and respect.
These points are made for associations in general in mind and may or may not apply to SPE’s situation. However, I suspect that we are neither immune nor significantly different from others, and that our challenges are similarly reflected in these challenges.
I also want to draw your attention to Table 2, which shows incentives for membership and retention across different age groups. This table is provided courtesy of James Whitaker, SPE Senior Member Programs Manager, who deals with the majority of our YP programs.
It does a good job of outlining the factors that association members (including SPE’s) consider when deciding whether to join or maintain their membership. I think it also does a good job of reminding us that not all members are the same, and that everyone has different considerations at different points in their lives.
What Can We Do?
Please do not view this as an “us vs. them” type of situation. We are all SPE, and we all need to work together for the overall health of the organization. As a member of the academic community, I am reminded daily that generational challenges do exist. I belong to one generation, and my students belong to others, which means I am constantly trying to find ways to close generational gaps and build bridges of understanding. Numerous times throughout my professorial career, I have learned more from my students than I have ever taught them. As I have read more about the challenges facing association memberships, I see many parallels. We all need to learn from one another and consider all viewpoints and needs.
The studies I’ve referenced above not only point to the considerations or reasons why membership is declining, but fortunately, they also offer suggestions to help overcome the challenges. I’ve tried to succinctly summarize these in the following.
I also want to point out that while SPE is working on many of these issues at the international level, they are equally—if not more—important to consider at the section or regional level. So, for all the section officers out there, consider where your section stands and what you may be able to do to facilitate greater involvement.
- Listen and seek to understand what younger professionals need in your area. Their needs may, or may not, differ from those of established professionals. If they do differ, are there ways to modify offerings to meet everyone’s needs? Asking and listening is the first step toward understanding and building mutual trust.
- Provide opportunities to “join the club.” Are there opportunities for YPs to participate in leadership roles in your section? If not, please consider creating and promoting such opportunities. It’s important for all age groups to have representation and a seat at the decision-making table.
- Encourage senior members to take younger members “under their wings.” This can take the form of mentorship, but it can also include guidance or reassurance on what steps can be taken via SPE to enhance their careers. Asking a younger coworker to join you at a meeting or event can go a long way in getting them involved and opening up doors for them.
- Don’t underestimate the importance of management giving younger staff members “permission” to attend SPE meetings. If YPs think that taking time off to attend a meeting will reflect negatively on their performance evaluation or otherwise, they won’t attend. Consider discussing the training and career development their staff members gain by participating in SPE meetings and events.
- Encourage honest feedback on section activities and other components of the Society. Environments where only a few voices are heard hinder the potential for innovation and relationship-building.
- Consider shaking things up. If your meetings have always been held at the same time or same day, consider other options. Remember the point above about work-life balance—meetings always on Monday at 7 p.m. may be prohibitive for certain membership groups. Try other days or times. It might work or might not, but at least you tried.
- Inclusion is more important than perhaps ever before. If a member doesn’t feel like they belong, they won’t wait around—they will leave to find a place that makes them feel more at home.
- Communication is obviously crucial to letting people know what is going on in the section or region but also consider the earlier point about gathering places. Emails might not be the best—or only—way to inform people about opportunities. Does your section have alternative communication channels to reach the majority of your members?
- Frequently, the “value proposition” of membership needs to be very specifically pointed out. During your meetings, remind people of what their membership is bringing them in terms of technical publications, industry updates, and in-depth articles about technologies via JPT, online webinars, etc.
- Be agile, the world is changing fast. Don’t be afraid to try something new. It might work, or it might not—but at least you tried.
Some Success Stories
As I visit sections and meet with members, I am frequently asked about what others are doing in this space. Here are some interesting initiatives taking place around the globe that may inspire you or that you might consider implementing in your area.
Varied Connection Routes. Quick and timely connections including the use of LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and other media to announce events and opportunities. These are in addition to emails, websites, etc. Also, websites should be updated in a timely manner. (If the website isn’t updated, maybe it isn’t even necessary compared to these other options.)
Beyond the Borders. This initiative was created and is run by YPs across the European SPE sections. It provides in-person networking opportunities with other YPs and facilitates interactions with senior leaders and other industry representatives. The success of this initiative in Europe led to the first edition of Beyond the Borders Africa launched this past August. You can read about the March 2025 Europe version here.
YP Workshops. Several regions or sections hold workshops with content that is specifically targeted to YPs. These range from fully technical in nature to focused solely on personal development, though they are generally a combination of both. Some are held in conjunction with other SPE events, while others are held as standalone events. If you are curious about such opportunities in your region, reach out to your local SPE staff liaison, who can provide additional information on local workshops. If none exist, maybe now is the opportunity to create one!
YP Sections in the Section. Some sections have entirely separate (but integrated) YP groups. For instance, the Calgary Section has their Board of Directors, but they also have a YP Committee that is a formal part of the overall board structure with the YP Committee Chairperson serving on the board. This system allows the YP Committee to plan programming and events targeted for the YP community while allowing direct connection to the overall section board. It also provides a training pipeline for future officers.
The Way Ahead. If you are not familiar with The Way Ahead (TWA), it is SPE’s publication that is “written by and for young professionals.” However, don’t let the “for” part drive you away, no matter what your age or career stage, TWA consists of a variety of interesting, diverse, and timely articles that provide information about the ongoings of YPs across the globe. For those of us that are not YPs, it is also a tremendous source of information about what matters to those that are.
YP Happy Hours and Other Events. Social gatherings provide a welcome break from the technical aspects for which SPE is so well known. Holiday parties, service events, and other get togethers specifically designed by and for YPs can build a community that transfers into other SPE endeavors.
Partnering Together. Obviously, some of the activities mentioned above require a critical mass of volunteers and contributors. Smaller sections that may not have sufficient numbers can consider partnering with each other or with larger sections to expand their offerings and opportunities.
These are just a few examples of approaches that are working, but I know that there are other examples of great work being done. With that in mind, visit my SPEConnect discussion thread to list your success stories and share what you are doing. Please contribute your suggestions and ideas to it!
Final Thoughts
I have tried hard to ensure this article doesn’t come across as patronizing. I definitely do not have all the answers, nor do I fully understand every issue. What I do know is that we can’t just sit back and not at least try to address these membership challenges.
There is no magic bullet to fix SPE’s membership pipeline. If there were, the experts who study these association challenges and produce the studies I referenced earlier would be making a fortune selling those solutions.
I believe the overall solution lies in chipping away and finding multiple approaches that work for different situations. One size will not fit all, and we must all be open to trying new things. Some attempts will fail, and we can move on; others will succeed, and those successes will lead to a positive future for SPE. I implore you to take that leap, try new approaches, try new things, and let’s all work together for the future of the organization!
You can contact the SPE President at President@spe.org.
