Enforcing a minimum activity for staff

[Cedric]

Do you enforce a minimum number of threads or posts for a moderator or staff member to maintain their elevated status on the forum? And what exactly do you expect from your staff - just to enforce the rules or do you have additional expectations? Running a forum is not a one-person job, as there are many tasks involved in managing, maintaining, and monitoring the forum.

Some suggestions for managing and maintaining a successful forum:

• Make sure everyone knows what their role is, including moderators and administrators.
• Set clear rules that everyone has to follow and make sure they're being enforced fairly.
• Get staff members involved and rewarded for being active and contributing valuable content.
• Keep an eye out for spam, inappropriate posts, or rule-breaking behavior and take action when necessary.
• Answer questions and resolve any problems promptly and respectfully.
• Keep the forum up-to-date with the latest software, design, and features to keep things running smoothly.
• Create a friendly and supportive environment by promoting positive interactions, listening to feedback, and addressing negative behavior quickly.

 

[PGen98]

I haven't enforced minimum activity standards on my forums in a long, long time. I can understand it on a massive forum where staff are expected to keep things under control and flowing properly, but on a smaller forum, no, it's not needed. It's the same thing as over-moderating a forum, you'll drive people away and it only works to your detriment to do that. Let your staff have some wiggle room, they are volunteers, after all.

 

[Heatman]

This is something that should be agreed upon before hiring a staff especially if they are going to paid staff members. It's going to be very difficult to enforce anything on who you don't pay. If you try it with force, they will just step down.

 

[Cory]

I never really required a minimum activity check for staff members, but if they're inactive enough they'll likely be demoted. People lead busy lives and can't spend a lot of time on forums as some others can, so sometimes a lack of activity can be expected, but when it starts to become a normality, there may need to be something done about it.

 

[Shortie]

I can't say I have ever enforced a minimum activity for staff on my forum. I do like to ask them to be active a few times a week and to post when they are active but I do not give any set amount of activity I want to see from them on the forum as I know everyone is different and lives can be unpredictable but at the same time, I do hire voluntary at the moment on my sites.

I guess if you were to hire for a paid position this could be something you could agree to before they were hired.

 

[Kale]

At most I just ask they be active on the forum and don't require much besides that. I don't think enforcing an activity minimum will do much good. If paid, then an agreed upon activity level should be made.

 

[Henrywrites]

I haven't enforced minimum activity standards on my forums in a long, long time. I can understand it on a massive forum where staff are expected to keep things under control and flowing properly, but on a smaller forum, no, it's not needed. It's the same thing as over-moderating a forum, you'll drive people away and it only works to your detriment to do that. Let your staff have some wiggle room, they are volunteers, after all.

I agree with you on that. I think trying to do it on a growing forum may not work out the way we expect it to work out. This is because the staff may find it difficult keeping up with the set target.

 

[Reverie]

I do think there should be a warranted expectation that you must be online at least 2 times a week - but understand that life does happen. There should not be a required post count, but I think there should be activity weekly from you. You are expected to do what your role entails. A community team member in my opinion should welcome all members in their intro topics, post around the community a bit and create at least a thread a two a week. A package team for example should probably fill at least 3 packages a week.

I think there should be grace in this, but I don't think you should take a position when you know you do not intend on being that active. I think this is also why it is good to ask when giving a "interview/application" to ask "How much time would you be able to dedicate to the forum weekly? Could this change - how/why?" it's fair to know people's schedules - plus it's just a nice way to get to know if you are the right fit for the position.

 

[dahLabdo]

I think it will be unreasonable to demand your staff to work, at the end of the day you hired them and had a clear idea in mind. The role of a staff member on a forum is often unpaid, meaning they are doing it because they like the community and want to give back. When you first hired the person for the role, you should have gone through what you expect of them. An example could be you ask them what their availability is like and they say "I can do 30 minutes a day" - you consider that, if you're happy with a moderator doing 30 minutes of high quality moderation a day.. great. This way there is no "do you want to be staff?" you ask, they reply with "yes please" and so they become staff. Four weeks later, you're wondering why they are only doing 30 minutes a day.. all could have been avoided if you asked the right questions.

 

[Reverie]

all could have been avoided if you asked the right questions.

Yes! This is the biggest point! You gotta ask the right questions!

 

[Ravenfreak]

The only thing I'd ask for my staff team is log in every other day and make a few posts here and there. As long as I see some activity from them, then it's fine.