Do you let staff participate in contests?

[22_22]

Do you let staff take part in the various contests you hold on your forum or do you have seperate competitions for staff members only?

What are your reasons behind your answer?

 

[SP33D_D3MON]

I let staff participate; be too much a hassle for me to come up with another one just for staff.. Plus not much different prizes.

 

[remonray]

Let them participate or they will leave staff posts and join the competetion 😛

 

[Fergal]

I feel that staff do a lot for the forums they work on and they are generally very generous with their time. It would seem unfair to penalise them for their good work, by preventing them from joining contests.

However, you do have to be conscious of the fact, that when a staff member wins a contest, there will be some members of your forum who feel that it is unfair or biased in some way.

 

[Jerlene]

I always let staff participate in contests since all of my staff are always volunteers.

 

[Fergal]

since all of my staff are always volunteers

That's actually a good point, I do agree that in most instances it would be inappropriate to allow paid staff to enter contests. Real world businesses generally have the same rules regarding their contests and competitions.

 

[LiquidServe]

I feel that staff do a lot for the forums they work on and they are generally very generous with their time. It would seem unfair to penalise them for their good work, by preventing them from joining contests.

However, you do have to be conscious of the fact, that when a staff member wins a contest, there will be some members of your forum who feel that it is unfair or biased in some way.

Well said!

 

[Geoffrey]

If it's a minor contest then sure, but for big competitions like posting, referral, etc. contests, then no. Staff should already be posting, referring and helping the board actively. It would be unfair to ask members to compete with those who have a job to be there.

 

[David]

The obvious interjection from a member would be that of an appearance of bias. Unless this was community voted contest (this would then mean a reasonably active competition), then the appearance of bias or rigging will always be on members' minds.

 

[tunescool]

its wrong, its so obvious staff should not be in contests. theyre part of the system, contests are to get members to post, not your forum mods who already post.

ignorant forum owner....

im going to have a contest to get my members to post more and draw more members to my forum. but i have 2 moderators whos job it is on my forum to post already and who do already post more than the members.

mods you can participate and i know youre already gonna win cause you post more, so let the contest begin.

whats wrong here, theres no contest for members. 1 member wins 3rd prize, yay.

its immoral, it doesnt make any sense in any way. and you look really good to your members and your new members.

any forum owner should understand this, no question

 

[David]

@tunescool, um...who said it had to be a posting competition?

Even if it's a posting competition, I don't see how allowing staff members to participate is "immoral". Unfair doesn't mean immoral.

 

[lucasbytegenius]

I usually don't let my staff participate if it's a posting contest, as most of my contests are, but I do let them participate in other contests.

 

[Fergal]

tunescool I do see your point, but why would you penalise someone who helps and volunteers at your forum, by not allowing them to enter contests?

 

[Geoffrey]

tunescool I do see your point, but why would you penalise someone who helps and volunteers at your forum, by not allowing them to enter contests?

Because as tunes said, you're holding a contest to get more members involved, you already have your staff involved because it's their job to be.

 

[Migi]

If it is a posting competition it makes sense not to allow staff members to participate, but I don't see a reason why staff members must be disallowed from other form of contests.

After all, before someone is a staff member, he/she is a member. And their rights stay.

🙂

 

[Darthmaul]

We had a thread about this on our forum. I usually let our staff members participate, as they are indeed members of the community. The only reason I wouldn't let them participate is if they had an unfair advantage over regular members in the contest. As for admins, no participation from them, as they are basically the coordinators of the contest, making it seemingly unfair for them to win 😉

 

[Geoffrey]

If it is a posting competition it makes sense not to allow staff members to participate, but I don't see a reason why staff members must be disallowed from other form of contests.

After all, before someone is a staff member, he/she is a member. And their rights stay.

🙂

Sure, but some forums don't have your basic contests and only do the larger competitions/events occasionally.

 

[Migi]

Sure, but some forums don't have your basic contests and only do the larger competitions/events occasionally.

Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean here? >.<

Well, thinking about it again, staff members participation should be limited if they are involved in the creation/designing the contests (which usually happens).

 

[Geoffrey]

Sure, but some forums don't have your basic contests and only do the larger competitions/events occasionally.

Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean here? >.<

Well, thinking about it again, staff members participation should be limited if they are involved in the creation/designing the contests (which usually happens).

Perhaps before I clarify, you should clarify what you mean by other forms of contests. 😉

 

[Migi]

Earlier there was an impression of talking about posting contests. So I also mentioned about other kind of contests, for example: referral contests, or some kind of forum banner contests, or forum quizzes related to specific topic the forum covers, or treasure hunt contests, or battles, or polls, and so on.