WASHINGTON— ASAE released a new Insight Update  report this week examining how associations have managed staffing over the past year and how they are planning for the next six to nine months. Despite broader labor market uncertainty and heightened attention to layoffs across the economy, the report finds that association staffing remained largely stable.

More than three-quarters of associations surveyed reported maintaining or increasing staffing levels over the past year. Just over half (50.8%) held staffing steady, while 26.0% increased staff, with average growth of nearly 20%. Among the 20.5% of organizations that reduced staffing, declines were more modest, averaging 15.5%.

“Associations have approached workforce decisions thoughtfully and strategically during a period of uncertainty,” said ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE. “Rather than broad cuts or rapid expansion, many organizations focused on protecting mission-critical functions while investing in areas that directly support member value.”

The report highlights three key workforce trends:

• Staffing remained largely stable despite broader labor market shifts, signaling organizational resilience and cautious planning.
• Staffing changes were targeted, with growth concentrated in engagement, membership, and learning functions, and limited impact on core mission-driven and infrastructure roles such as advocacy and IT. When reductions occurred, organizations most often redistributed work internally or supplemented capacity through consultants, freelancers, and generative AI tools.
• Entry-level roles emerged as a key area of investment, countering concerns about early-career displacement by AI. These positions were the most likely to see staffing increases, while mid-level roles—particularly directors and managers—faced the greatest pressure when staffing declined.

Looking ahead, associations expect this stability to continue. Nearly two-thirds of respondents anticipate no staffing changes over the next six to nine months, while 22.0% expect increases and only 7.0% foresee decreases. Planned growth is primarily driven by expansion and new initiatives, while anticipated reductions are most often tied to financial pressures and restructuring.

The Insight Update is based on survey responses from 258 association and association management company leaders in CEO, finance, and HR roles. AI tools were used to support analysis of open-ended responses.

To view and download other recent Insight Update publications, visit the ASAE website.

MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Vest, CAE, 202-626-2798, cvest@asaecenter.org

 

About ASAE

ASAE is a membership organization of more than 50,000 association executives and industry partners. Since it was established 100 years ago, its members have and continue to lead, manage, and work in or partner with organizations in more than a dozen association management disciplines, from executive management to finance to technology. With the support of the ASAE Research Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession and provides resources, education, ideas, and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. Visit ASAE at Welcome to ASAE — American Society of Association Executives (asaecenter.org)