Other Titles
Recognition, Celebration and Collaboration: Strategies for Enhancing Member Engagement in Sigma [Symposium Title]
Other Titles
Symposium Presentation
Abstract
Purpose: Member engagement, participation and commitment to professional organization is important to meet organization goals leading to its growth and development. Effective strategies are essential to promote involvement, increase retention, and enhance community among members (Frangieh et al., 2024). One practical approach is recognizing outstanding contributions at the section level within regional chapters. Such initiatives help cultivate a culture of appreciation, motivating members to stay actively involved and contribute further to the organization’s goal. Public acknowledgment of members’ efforts also fosters a sense of belonging and pride, which can lead to increased loyalty and commitment to the organization (Lansing et al., 2023). This presentation explores the impact of section recognition on member engagement in Sigma Region 7, specifically focusing on how recognizing contributions influences participation rates, member satisfaction, and long-term retention. This presentation aims to provide actionable insights for enhancing engagement and sustaining active involvement within professional nursing associations through effective recognition strategies. Region 7 initiated member engagement, including increased participation, retention, and leadership development.
Methods: Aligning with Region 7’s strategic plan and the 2023-2025 Presidential Call to Action, Region 7 launched a member spotlight initiative to recognize the contributions and uniqueness of individual members. Members selected for this spotlight are chosen by chapter leaders and featured in the All-Chapter Officer Workgroup on Sigma’s Circle platform. Chapter leaders acknowledge engagement activities and facilitate discussions among the regional members.
Results: The implementation of the “Member Spotlight” has significantly increased visibility for member contributions, fostering a sense of pride and belonging. Feedback from chapter leaders and members indicated that the initiative strengthened engagement and motivated greater participation in chapter activities. Additionally, the focus on recognition has contributed to the identification and cultivation of emerging leaders within the region.
Conclusion: Recognition is an effective strategy for enhancing member engagement in professional nursing organizations. It boosts participation, retention, and leadership development while fostering a supportive community that values member contributions.
Notes
References:
Alomran, A. M., Ahmed, T. S. A., & Kassem, A. M. (2024). Impact of organizational trust on organizational commitment: The moderating effect of national identity. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), Article 2309712. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2309712
Bazinski, M. A., & Wilson, M. (2023). Challenges Recruiting and Retaining New Members of a Professional Nursing Organization. Pain Management Nursing, 24(5), 513–520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2023.06.007
Corkle, C. (2023). Using recognition to foster employee engagement at Rimbey Family and Community Support Services (Order No. 30315233). ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. Retrieved from http://access.library.miami.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/using-recognition-foster-employee-engagement-at/docview/2792265919/se-2
Frangieh, J., et al. (2024). Fostering belonging and social connectedness in nursing: Evidence-based strategies: A discussion paper for nurse students, faculty, leaders, and clinical nurses. Nursing Outlook, 72(4), 102174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2024.102174 [doi.org]
Peixin Wang, Morgan, B., Packard, P., Goode, V., & Tola, D. (2020). Maximizing Use of Social Media to Improve Member Engagement in a Professional Organization. AANA Journal, 88(6), 473–478.
Sigma Membership
Beta Tau
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Global Leadership, Virtual Learning, Competence, Leadership, Leadership Initiatives
Recommended Citation
Owusu, Brenda and Thomas, Jacqueline, "Recognition as a Strategy for Member Engagement" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 252.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/252
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-11
Recognition as a Strategy for Member Engagement
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Purpose: Member engagement, participation and commitment to professional organization is important to meet organization goals leading to its growth and development. Effective strategies are essential to promote involvement, increase retention, and enhance community among members (Frangieh et al., 2024). One practical approach is recognizing outstanding contributions at the section level within regional chapters. Such initiatives help cultivate a culture of appreciation, motivating members to stay actively involved and contribute further to the organization’s goal. Public acknowledgment of members’ efforts also fosters a sense of belonging and pride, which can lead to increased loyalty and commitment to the organization (Lansing et al., 2023). This presentation explores the impact of section recognition on member engagement in Sigma Region 7, specifically focusing on how recognizing contributions influences participation rates, member satisfaction, and long-term retention. This presentation aims to provide actionable insights for enhancing engagement and sustaining active involvement within professional nursing associations through effective recognition strategies. Region 7 initiated member engagement, including increased participation, retention, and leadership development.
Methods: Aligning with Region 7’s strategic plan and the 2023-2025 Presidential Call to Action, Region 7 launched a member spotlight initiative to recognize the contributions and uniqueness of individual members. Members selected for this spotlight are chosen by chapter leaders and featured in the All-Chapter Officer Workgroup on Sigma’s Circle platform. Chapter leaders acknowledge engagement activities and facilitate discussions among the regional members.
Results: The implementation of the “Member Spotlight” has significantly increased visibility for member contributions, fostering a sense of pride and belonging. Feedback from chapter leaders and members indicated that the initiative strengthened engagement and motivated greater participation in chapter activities. Additionally, the focus on recognition has contributed to the identification and cultivation of emerging leaders within the region.
Conclusion: Recognition is an effective strategy for enhancing member engagement in professional nursing organizations. It boosts participation, retention, and leadership development while fostering a supportive community that values member contributions.
Description
Overall Symposium Summary: Engaging members is key to organizational success, particularly in professional associations such as Sigma. Sigma’s North Atlantic Region 7 welcomes the 2023-2025 Presidential Call to Action by creating a strategic plan that embodies the change we wish to see in the region. This plan honors the unique perspectives of each member and employs recognition, celebration, and collaboration as key strategies for engaging members within Sigma’s Region 7.
Note: The attached slide deck is a combined symposium presentation containing the slides of all featured symposium speakers.
To locate the other presentations in this symposium, search the repository by the Symposium Title shown in the Other Title field of this item record.