There is always a lot going on, and we must not lose sight of the importance of having IFoA members as our advocates. We set ourselves a target to have a positive net engagement score (NES) in our member survey at the end of 2022.
The feedback from 2021 is being analysed as I write, but we have made good progress year-on-year. I am hopeful that we have the momentum and initiatives to get us there in 2022. The mean average feedback is good, but NES is a measure of advocacy, and we would like more of our members to have this deeply felt sentiment.
What has worked so far is making sure your needs drive what we do. We’ve got a better handle on what these needs are, and where they are common across our membership or concentrated in cohorts or groups. I can see the clear result of doing things that we know are important to members – not least as the survey results explicitly acknowledge what has been done.
In the latest survey, you told us that the most valuable improvements of the past year include the move to free online events, and our rethink of the continuing professional development scheme, making it less about process and more about what you want to learn. The Thought Leadership efforts landed well, as did several practical operational improvements, such as giving students exam result breakdowns automatically.
One insight is the importance many of you place on the IFoA being the voice of the profession. I am fortunate to see the breadth of activity in this space and the impact it has. We will work hard to share more widely, support you more and help you feel the value of community.
Meeting members’ needs is a moving target of sorts, as needs continue to change. One test of advocacy is whether members feel supported, whatever the future holds, and we have a lot of forward-looking activities that are designed to do just that. It’s an exciting time ahead, but with a clear purpose in mind.
Stephen Mann is the chief executive of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
