Staff Rewards!

[JewishPoptart89]

Before the article starts, I’d like to extend my thanks to @Golddisk . He posted a topic asking how we reward our staff, which prompted this article. I’ve contacted him for permission to steal his idea, so please go check out his website, The Surge!



Your staff is the backbone of your website. They do so much, especially on bigger forum sites. If you don’t pay them, you need to give them more than just tell them thanks. Here are 10 ideas for how to reward your staff.

• Free hosting, and a domain.
  

You need to support your users, why not just use something you possibly already have the resources to do. A domain is just a quick $0.88-$12, and hosting you most likely already own.


By doing this, you’re supporting them and without saying it, you’re telling them that you believe that they can make great things.

• Staff only giveaways and contests
  

Contests and giveaway could one, be beneficial for your forum in terms of staff improving and posting or being active way more than usual.


There can be many contests and giveaways, here’s a couple:


Giveaway gift cards

Have a staff posting contest

Have an anonymous vote for your community to who their favorite staff is and reward that staff member with something

• Give them your utmost support on their own projects
  

Give them a free ad slot on your website, give them some support, or just do something for them if they ask for help.

• Pay Them
  

This is an obvious one. If you make enough money, give them $20-$40 a month. It all depends on the size of your forum and how much ad revenue it generated.

• Try and ask around and get discount on other websites specifically for your staff members
  

Everyone loves discounts and free things. Ask around in websites that can possibly give free stuff or discounts. It doesn’t have to be specific to forums.

• Bring your staff to dinner or lunch and pay! It doesn’t have to be fancy! (If some of them are local)
  

Everyone loves free food, and food isn’t too expensive! Grab a pizza, some drinks, or even get something else!

• Give special recognition
  

If you have meetings, give some staff members recognition if they did something awesome before the meeting. Or write a forum announcement giving them thanks.

• Promotions
  

Depending on your forum, you may want to give one of your staff members more responsibilities or higher positions.

• Staff day - Or time off
  

If you have staff that has been doing things for a long time, they might want to have some time to be able to not worry about forums at all.


I have two ideas for that. Create a day where you and your staff team do something online together, like play a videogame, or just something online!


Another thing you might consider is just giving one of your staff members the ability to not have to go on your forum for a few days, just so that they aren’t worried about the forum for a couple days, days to relax!

• Let them in on any new feature you plan to have and see if they want to be the project lead
  

This is a win-win for everyone. The owner of the forum shouldn’t have to do everything, so why not reward your staff and let them start a whole new thing on your forum! They’ll know you trust them, they’ll be more a part of the community, and you’ll get to see how well they can manage things and how capable of being staff they are.