Organizational culture drives most of what associations experience, from daily frustrations to breakthrough successes. 

An association’s culture directly impacts everything from staff retention and member satisfaction to the quality of programs and services delivered. A strong culture helps an association attract top talent, reduce turnover, and create environments where staff feel empowered to innovate and excel in serving their professional communities.  

Conversely, associations struggling with culture issues often face higher recruitment costs, decreased productivity, and difficulty maintaining the deep institutional knowledge essential to providing an exceptional membership experience. 

All of this makes cultivating a culture that brings out the best in staff and allows them to show up authentically essential to an association’s long-term success. 

More Than Good Intentions: A Deliberate ShiftThe American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges recognized these stakes and made a strategic decision to build culture intentionally rather than leave it to chance. Through their Culture Counts initiative, AAVMC has developed a comprehensive framework that guides how they work internally and serve their members, demonstrating measurable benefits for both staff well-being and organizational effectiveness. 

The initiative traces its roots to David Friedman’s book Culture by Design, which caught the attention of AAVMC’s senior leadership. Rather than simply adopting generic corporate values, the organization took a methodical approach to building their cultural foundation. 

“When we first launched, all staff were provided with a copy of the book and we dedicated time during our standing staff meetings to discuss main ideas and how they integrated within our organization,” explained Madison Chisolm, AAVMC’s associate director for marketing and communications. This collaborative approach ensured that cultural principles weren’t imposed from the top down but emerged through genuine team engagement. 

Rethinking How Work Culture Happens 

The result is Culture Counts, a framework built around 16 main principles that defines how AAVMC works, how staff work with one another, and how they work with their members and stakeholders. The principles are organized into four areas: Integrity, Teamwork, Excellence, and Well-Being. 

What sets AAVMC apart is their commitment to making these principles more than wall decorations. The organization has made culture a living, breathing part of their operations for the past few years, with everyone involved from top to bottom. 

“Good culture does not happen by accident,” said Monique Pierce, associate director for professional development at AAVMC. 

AAVMC had the opportunity to put its commitment to these principles, specifically No. 16: Be Well, into action this spring when it held its first Well-Being Day. On May 14, AAVMC closed its offices and gave staff a dedicated day for personal wellness.The planning process itself reflected the organization’s data-driven, employee-centered approach. Rather than organizing a traditional, in-person staff retreat, Pierce and Chisolm conducted cost comparisons and presented a data-driven case for why giving staff a stipend and prescribed day off would be more impactful. 

“The decision to offer staff the chance to do something that met their own wants and needs recognized that we have a diverse staff and that wellness to one person doesn’t look the same for someone else,” Chisholm said.  

What each individual did for Well-Being Day was as diverse as the team itself. “Quite a few people did spa days, a few who are caretakers spent an added day with their children or parents, a few went to the movies or out to dinner, a few — including one who recently purchased a home — used the stipend and time for DIY projects at home,” Pierce said. 

Staff members shared their experiences in presentations afterward, creating connection points that might not have existed otherwise. That’s something Pierce said wouldn’t have been possible without working on their culture and staff relationships consistently for years. “Our team let everyone into their personal lives a bit. That isn’t easy, but the foundational work allowing everyone to share can’t be missed,” Pierce reflected. 

The Well-Being Day also demonstrated to AAVMC’s stakeholders that the organization practices what it preaches. “Because some of our members who contacted us that day saw our out-of-office messages, it allowed us to spark some conversations about what we were doing and why,” Pierce said. 

Overall, the day gave AAVMC an opportunity to show that it truly lives its values. “We’re a small team, so we all wear many hats and strive to perform at the highest level,” she added. “This gave us a chance to show our members that we prioritize rest, which gives us the capacity to do the work at a high level.” 

Trusting Your People, Creating Your Culture 

AAVMC’s example offers a valuable lesson for other associations seeking to build meaningful workplace cultures. It’s important to move beyond surface-level gestures toward genuine investment in employee well-being and authentic alignment with the association’s values. 

“It’s easy to say you have a positive, healthy office culture or that your association is like a family,” Chisolm said. “But this experience with Well-Being Day is a tangible example of who we are and what we stand for.” 

A commitment to culture at all levels of the association ensures staff feel valued and supported and therefore are better able to serve their members and communities. As associations also compete to hire and retain top talent, a culture that allows employees to show up fully and authentically is essential for organizational stability and success. 

Pierce agreed, adding: “Trust your employees. Trust that they know what they need to work well and be well and then give them the time and resources to prioritize their well-being.”