Monday Buzz: Association Moves Shake Up DC

Association HQs are all over Washington, DC, and its suburbs, but a few large organizations are relocating within the city to respond to strategic and workforce needs.

Many associations have offices in DC’s central business district, but some groups are moving to up-and-coming waterfront neighborhoods  (opens in a new tab), reports Bisnow. For example, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is moving from Dupont Circle, where it’s been for decades, to the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood.

“The largest driver was the proximity to Capitol Hill,” said Joy Whitlow, NAB’s chief financial officer. “The traffic patterns in the city have changed. It’s taking longer for our staff to get to the Hill. When we have events and invite Congress members or their staffers to our building, it’s harder to get them to come. We wanted to get closer to the hub of our activity.”

With office relocations come new office layouts. Some associations are moving to an open-space design, which encourages engagement and collaboration.

“It’s about providing people with that kind of environment where they can engage, where it’s much more active, and where you can see what’s happening,” says Studios Architecture principal Marnique Heath, who worked on one association’s recent redesign. “That way, you can better understand what various parts of the organization are doing and have access to the leadership so information can be shared much faster.”

Better Tech Team Communication

Why isn’t “good communication” more emphasized in #IT  (opens in a new tab)?https://t.co/3mIrWXcX4C  (opens in a new tab) #assnchat  (opens in a new tab) #assnprofs  (opens in a new tab) #technology  (opens in a new tab) #developers  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/FmHCGI1tBZ  (opens in a new tab)

— Sidecar (@sidecarglobal) May 14, 2017  (opens in a new tab)

Do your IT team members communicate technical issues clearly to your nontechnical employees? IT folks often struggle to communicate valuable technical information to users. Impressing upon them why clear communication is important is a good first step  (opens in a new tab) to solving this problem, says Christopher Hunter, writing for Association Success.

Also, try offering mentorship opportunities to your IT team. “Not everyone has this type of support, though, and it would go a long way if they did,” writes Hunter.

Other Links of Note

Donating should be quick and easy. Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog provides helpful tips for running an appealing text-  (opens in a new tab)giving  (opens in a new tab)campaign  (opens in a new tab).

How to retain top talent. Forbes shares a few leadership development tactics  (opens in a new tab) to keep employees happy.

Looking to be a better event pro? MeetingsNet reveals the daily habits of successful event managers  (opens in a new tab).

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