A professional organization is a formal group that brings individuals together who work in the same industry, occupation, or profession. Organizations such as these are established to promote their members’ interests, uphold standards of practice, and advance the field they represent.
What Professional Organizations Actually Do
Professional organizations advocate for the profession in legislation and public policy, publish journals, research and industry updates, set and enforce professional and ethical standards, offer continuing education opportunities and certification programs, and provide networking opportunities among their membership. Not all professional organizations offer all of these functions; some may provide only a few.
Is Membership in a Professional Organization Worth It?
One of the main reasons individuals join is for professional development opportunities such as seminars, workshops, webinars, and conferences. Many learning platforms host videos, research articles, and recorded webinars. Some organizations offer mentorship programs and/or job boards for career development.
There is typically a platform or community for collaboration and knowledge sharing, and don’t forget about the discounts included, such as event discounts, training, or cost savings on tools, services, or software negotiated at lower rates for members.
How to Make the Case for Company Membership
A company may be able to join a professional organization that provides employees with membership benefits and resources, as well as benefits for the company as a whole.
Benefits for your company can take many forms. These include opportunities for business development, collaboration, and partnerships.
Professional organization membership doesn’t just develop employees – it elevates the entire company’s reputation, influence, and performance.
Membership often provides access to trend reports, research, and specialized publications. It also allows benchmarking against industry standards. Many organizations offer staff development opportunities, sometimes at discounted rates.
Membership can enhance your company’s brand image within the industry and the public. Additional perks may include discounts, affinity programs, and chances to showcase your company’s work through publications, awards, and conferences.
Finally, it supports continuous improvement by learning from the broader professional community.
The benefits for your company extend beyond individuals and can positively impact the entire business. This is a great way for a company to grow its reputation, influence the industry, develop its workforce, and access critical resources.
Real-World Examples of Professional Organization Involvement
MotorDoc, LLC, is a veteran-owned small business. We are also involved in several professional organizations, which we find valuable to our staff and the company as a whole.
For example, our company is a member of American Clean Power, where all staff have access to membership resources and can participate in standards, consensus practices, industry data and information, and networking with other companies and members with similar interests.
We are also a member of the Electro-Mechanical Authority (EASA), primarily for access to industry materials and standards.
Howard Penrose is a member of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.), the largest professional society worldwide, where he participates in and chairs standards that directly impact business and industry.
One of those standards is IEEE 1415, which Dr. Penrose chairs, which is the ‘Guide for Induction Machinery Maintenance Testing and Failure Analysis.’ He also participates in committees, such as the International Grid Code Committee, where he can provide input based on his and the company’s experience in technical matters.
The International Council on Large Electric Systems, originally the Conference International des Grands Réseaux Électriques (CIGRE), is a global community committed to the collaborative development and sharing of end-to-end power system expertise. MotorDoc is an active company member, and Dr. Penrose is the US lead for study group A1 (power generation) and the convenor (chair) of A1.78.
This is the study group developing a comprehensive guidebook on the application of electrical and current signature analysis in utilities and general industry. Representatives from over a dozen countries, as well as other ESA/MCSA developers, are participating in the development.
MotorDoc is also a member of the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) to participate in networking opportunities. Dr. Penrose was the organization’s past chair (2018) and the original founder of the SMRP Government Relations program. He is also a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional, a certification program administered by SMRP.
Janine Komornick, Business Development Director at MotorDoc, is a member of the American Marketing Association, an organization to learn additional best practices in marketing for the organization.
Leading Professional Organizations in the Reliability Industry
If you’re not part of a professional organization, there are organizations in the reliability industry, some with a specific focus, such as electrical systems, software, or machinery:
- American Society for Quality (ASQ), Reliability and Risk Division – This division is part of the larger ASQ organization, which is an association for reliability, maintainability, quality, and safety professionals. This division promotes reliability training and education.
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Reliability Society – A technical society within the larger organization (IEEE) that focuses on reliability engineering in hardware, software, and human factors for the advancement of technology
- The Institute for Asset Management (IAM) – For individuals involved with acquisition, operation, and care of physical assets with a focus on critical infrastructure
- International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) – A membership organization focused on the transdisciplinary principles and practices that enable the creation of successful systems, including system reliability.
- Safety and Reliability Society – A professional body for practitioners in safety, reliability, and risk management
- Society of Reliability Engineers (SRE) – An International not-for-profit society that provides a forum for individuals to discuss reliability issues, particularly in hardware, software, and human factors engineering.
- Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP) – a non-profit society to advance the maintenance, reliability, and physical asset profession.
How to Evaluate and Choose the Right Professional Organization
Before paying membership dues to multiple organizations, it is recommended to do some research. Professional Organization membership involves both fees and a time commitment. You will want to make sure you use this membership once you pay for it, as it includes a number of benefits.
You may want to look at several similar organizations in your field to compare costs, benefits, and reach. You may learn that regional, national, or global organizations differ significantly in focus. Here are some suggested ways to research ahead of joining:
- The Organization’s Mission and Values – read the organization’s mission statement, vision, goals, and strategic plan, which should all be available on their website. Do they focus on education? Advocacy? Networking? Most importantly, do this organization’s values align with your personal career goals and/or your company’s goals?
- Review Membership – fees, tiers, and benefits. Is there a specific time you can join? Can you join on a rolling basis? Find out how many are already a part of this organization. Compare the benefits to the cost, and ask the organization whether those benefits are relevant to your career stage or its needs. These organizations have a dedicated membership staff person available to answer these types of questions.
- Credibility and Reputation – read reviews, case studies, and testimonials from current members, research how the organization is viewed among the industry, look at their social media pages, and check if the organization is respected, well-known, or often cited by other professionals. Is their website easy to navigate? The website will indicate the accessibility of the benefits you should join.
- Assess learning and networking opportunities – review their events calendar, seek out opportunities for volunteering, committee participation, speaking, publishing, and mentorship. Are their committees active and functioning? Find out if this organization can provide a valuable space to grow your professional connections.
- Review Resources and Publications – Are their resources high-quality and helpful for keeping up with changes in the industry? Are they distributed as promised? Are they up to date? Review blogs, research reports, journals, and newsletters they produce.
- Evaluate Community Fit and Inclusivity – do they offer memberships for students, early-career professionals, or retirees? Some organizations provide a “lifetime” membership that is essentially free after a certain number of years. Is their culture collaborative, open, and supportive of diversity in the profession?
- Give it a trial run – attend a networking session, public event, or webinar in advance. Reach out to current members in person or on LinkedIn and ask about their experience.
