Print PDF

The results of the Royal Statistical Society’s recent member survey, compiled and presented by the RSS’s honorary officer for membership Ed Swires-Hennessy, are now available to download on the Society’s main website.

The survey results are available to view at www.rss.org.uk/survey

The electronic survey was completed by 1,240 members – approximately 20 per cent of the total membership – during November and December 2012. The profile of respondents, in terms of length and type of membership, was similar to the Society’s overall membership.

As a membership organisation, the Society is held in high regard by the survey’s respondents, who gave it a weighted mean score of 8.1 out of 10 (overseas members rated it even more highly, at 8.5 out of 10). Furthermore, 94 per cent indicated they would recommend RSS membership to a friend or colleague.

The survey also shows that community aspects of membership and supporting the profession are among the most important reasons for membership, while member benefits and career development appear to be deemed less important.

Of the member benefits, however, Significance magazine was rated most highly, with 93 per cent of respondents considering it very/moderately important, and more than 90 per cent rating it either ‘good’ or ‘very good’. The RSS journals, RSS NEWS, regular news by email and the professional awards also scored well.

While almost one thousand of the respondents indicated that they would be interested in actively contributing to the work of the Society, only 11 per cent of respondents currently volunteer for the RSS (in organising activities, attending governance meetings or producing materials). ‘The challenge will now be to activate these resources,’ commented Ed Swires-Hennessy.

Hetan Shah, executive director of the RSS, said: ‘Overall, these are heartening findings. We are taking note of what our members say and feeding this into the current strategy review, so that we can continue to improve the way we work.’