Selecting educational topics for chapter meetings and events is an important part of chapter management. Ideally, each topic should appeal to chapter members, better their payroll skills, and qualify for RCHs. To pick the perfect meeting topics for your chapter, ask yourself the following questions:
- Which topics are the most relevant in light of changing tax laws? When laws change, payroll professionals may need additional education to stay in compliance.
- Which topics are your chapter members most interested in? Use surveys and attendance data to gauge the subjects that are most popular among your members.
- Which topic(s) can your speaker confidently present? Schedule your speakers early in advance so you have plenty of time to finalize a topic and submit your RCH Request. Remember that you can request a specific topic when commissioning an APA speaker. The “National Speakers Bureau Members and Topics” list and "National Representative Request Form” can both be found on the Grow Your Chapter page.
- Should I have a back-up topic? Having a back-up plan in place can give you peace of mind when the unexpected happens. Chapter Relations has two free educational presentations available for you to download at a moment’s notice: “Emotional Intelligence” and “Communicating Effectively and Confidently.” They are both pre-approved for RCHs and even come with helpful speaker notes.
If you are still having trouble selecting the perfect topic for your events, APA’s Certification Department has put together a list of 100 Popular Chapter Meeting Topics. All topics included in this resource have been reviewed and deemed acceptable for RCHs. You can find the list on the Grow Your Chapter page of the APA website, under “Certification & RCHs.”
How does your chapter select topics for meetings and events? Share in the comments below!
