So, on some forums staff have a required post count, and I was just wondering if you were one of those forums? Personally, I find it rather annoying and selfish of the admin(s), but I do see how sometimes it could be necessary. Personally I am even thinking of implementing it.
Setting a Minimum Staff Post Count
- Thread starter Darthmaul
- Start date
Bluezone777
Dinner Team Leader
If you need to have a minimum posts per day for your staff then it suggests to me you might want to reevaluate the staff you have and whether you want them to remain on the team. Good staff don't need rules on activity because they stay active out of their interest for the forum and not to follow some rule.
Setting limits will encourage lousy posting just to meet it which I wouldn't shoot for either. The old phrase "quality over quantity" comes to mind.
Setting limits will encourage lousy posting just to meet it which I wouldn't shoot for either. The old phrase "quality over quantity" comes to mind.
CyberFreak
Legendary Typer
I think there are much better ways to determine how well a staff member is doing other then depending on the number of posts. Quality beats quantity any day in my eyes and for a moderator, not all the tasks they do are visible. Moderators need to be online to deal with issues, delete posts/spam and resolve issues usually via PM. They can do all this without posting. If you have a post requirement, a moderator could come on for 5 minutes a day, post 5 welcome replies and ignore reports and issues needing moderator attention. Does that make this moderator better at their job just because they make 5 posts a day? No in my opinion.
Fowler said:
I see what you're saying, but staff do contribute a lot to the activity of the forum. As an Admin, I make a HUGE portion of the posts, so is it really that much to ask for the other staff members to contribute a bit as well?
CyberFreak
Legendary Typer
Well yes but staff will usually contribute of their own free will. Forcing them to post may actually have the opposite effect and push them away. Especially if the post requirement is unreasonable. Also forcing posts can mean posting for the sake of posting = lower quality posts which don't add much anyway to discussions.
CyberFreak
Legendary Typer
If i were to set requirements for anything, it would be requirements based on their job role such as a set number of reviews to complete each month etc in the case of a promotion forum. Requiring staff to post is not a good idea in my opinion.Darthmaul said:
Darthmaul said:
Like quotas?
I tried to do this on my IL Skywarn forum, staff didn't follow it. One admin, who had been there since day one deleted himself from the forum. It was a bad idea on my part. I wouldn't recommend doing it. Just ask that they be active (including posting) and make something in the manual about it. I can easily demote a person for being inactive but quotas are yeah...a bit on the pushy selfish side.
At first I thought you meant a minimal post count to hire someone as staff. In which case I don't really care. I care more to see how they interact, how much they seem to like the place (so I can assume they care for it to invest of their time) and if they are online often enough.
I see that this thread was not about that but having them keep fulfilling a certain quota of posts in order to still in the rank. Well, I find that more a bother than help (Just like those "post if you logged in today" threads in the staff area), if people are available they are showing results.
Some of my staff show often but do little over long time, that is when I realise I need to organise the team to be more effective. They do want to help but for example mine are global moderators so they have no clue where or how. Some staff feels more comfortable following directly a list designed for them.
When the forums are being to quiet I try to discuss with them what we can do to help or what things are pendant that need to be done. I like to express often through threads in the staff area what it is inside my head about it. Giving them room choose and suggest helps me feel close to them and makes them feel appreciated (which they are).
I always sweat about pestering someone to help with the board, specially if staff. I remember a board where the admin was often complaining about the low level of activity and that turned it more awkward because we had the CHORE to post or else, and we were just normal users. I don't want people on my board to feel like that. So while I might invite people from time to time to check over the forums, I am not going to demand a minimal of activity staff or not.
That aside, one of the moderators (who has my close trust and a similar vision about the site) has been unavailable for a good while. If I had that posting rule, I would had to take off his rank. While I am looking for more helping hands I don't find a reason to stripe him off the authority of moderation. I don't know when will he be able to, but he is still up for it and when he is able to connect it shows with his actions.
I really don't like the requirements that make it feel like you are going to school or work. If you don't know someone don't be fast to give the rank. Give them at least a month to interact in your boards as a member. You need to know who you are putting up. If you know your staff, you know why they were selected and you don't need to make it harder for them. If someone is not living up to our expectations talk directly with the person.
Well, that is the way I try do it.
I see that this thread was not about that but having them keep fulfilling a certain quota of posts in order to still in the rank. Well, I find that more a bother than help (Just like those "post if you logged in today" threads in the staff area), if people are available they are showing results.
Some of my staff show often but do little over long time, that is when I realise I need to organise the team to be more effective. They do want to help but for example mine are global moderators so they have no clue where or how. Some staff feels more comfortable following directly a list designed for them.
When the forums are being to quiet I try to discuss with them what we can do to help or what things are pendant that need to be done. I like to express often through threads in the staff area what it is inside my head about it. Giving them room choose and suggest helps me feel close to them and makes them feel appreciated (which they are).
I always sweat about pestering someone to help with the board, specially if staff. I remember a board where the admin was often complaining about the low level of activity and that turned it more awkward because we had the CHORE to post or else, and we were just normal users. I don't want people on my board to feel like that. So while I might invite people from time to time to check over the forums, I am not going to demand a minimal of activity staff or not.
That aside, one of the moderators (who has my close trust and a similar vision about the site) has been unavailable for a good while. If I had that posting rule, I would had to take off his rank. While I am looking for more helping hands I don't find a reason to stripe him off the authority of moderation. I don't know when will he be able to, but he is still up for it and when he is able to connect it shows with his actions.
I really don't like the requirements that make it feel like you are going to school or work. If you don't know someone don't be fast to give the rank. Give them at least a month to interact in your boards as a member. You need to know who you are putting up. If you know your staff, you know why they were selected and you don't need to make it harder for them. If someone is not living up to our expectations talk directly with the person.
Well, that is the way I try do it.
Victor Leigh
Reputable
I know that forum staff are mainly volunteers but then again no one forced them to take up the post. It's just like volunteer work in real life. Even though you are not paid, you are expected to meet certain minimum standards of behavior.
I don't see why forum staff should be exempt from this simple common sense requirement.
I don't see why forum staff should be exempt from this simple common sense requirement.
IAAM Radio
Paragon
We do not set quotas on our team. I want the team to feel as if a they are a member of which they are and at the same time want to do their assigned role.
Setting post counts can also dwarf out member posts. It's better to leave a new member post alone for a bit so other members can see vice a staff member jumping all over it.
You can chase the numbers or go for the quality and let the numbers occur naturally over time. This said, if your board is slow and member posts have been up and not replied to by another, then the staff may want to reply to it to spark more interaction.
Unless your pay your team with real money, forcing a quota may end up hurting you in the long run. You picked your team for a reason, let them be who they were and make your requirement that they do their assigned role and have fun posting as members. The post requirement should be no more than getting threads going if they have been hanging for a day or two days.
Just my perspective.
Setting post counts can also dwarf out member posts. It's better to leave a new member post alone for a bit so other members can see vice a staff member jumping all over it.
You can chase the numbers or go for the quality and let the numbers occur naturally over time. This said, if your board is slow and member posts have been up and not replied to by another, then the staff may want to reply to it to spark more interaction.
Unless your pay your team with real money, forcing a quota may end up hurting you in the long run. You picked your team for a reason, let them be who they were and make your requirement that they do their assigned role and have fun posting as members. The post requirement should be no more than getting threads going if they have been hanging for a day or two days.
Just my perspective.
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