Paid Staff Members?

[Floris]

Wether you are a business or not, if you are a small site or not. Sometimes it is desirable to have someone on the team that signed a non-disclosure contract, gets paid in full for their time. Such as a web designer, web developer, but .. do you also consider hiring your fellow administrator or community manager, while you focus on the 'running the site' side of things?

I can imagine a bigger community might need dedicated staff, and to compensate them for handling moderators and administrative tasks, etc. that you could hire them as a freelancer, or if you have a company even as employee. And that a smaller more inactive community just doesn't need one (yet).

What do you do? And what is your opinion about hiring your team members?

 

[melbo]

It's sometimes tough to get volunteer staff to do things like encouraging topics, adding content, etc because they are just volunteers. I've sometime felt that when I hit a certain amount of $$ from my site, I'd start some sort of profit share with my mods and top quality posters.

2010 was the first year in 7 that I covered all my server and software expenses and then some. Of course, I upgraded my hosting every year so I've always reinvested that revenue back into the site. Maybe next year I'll have the extra working cash to add a paid staffer or 2. It would be an investment into the forum if they also added content like I do.

 

[CurveGotti]

I tend to just find like minded people that are willing to help out on a volunteer basis, though I don't really ask all that much from them. If I had a bigger community I would probably offer them an incentive for their work, though I'd be very cautious about who I'd offer this too as well as make them sign a contract with very specific terms, because in the past I have actually paid staff members and more often than not it did not work out the way we intended and the worst part is that most of the people we had the problems with were good friends of one of the two co owners of the site.

I think it can go either way, you just need to be really specific when discussing what you require from them and what they will get in return. I think it's safer to offer such perks to people who have really done a outstanding job already without asking for much in return, they usually tend to continue doing great work.

 

[Floris]

Great feedback so far, it's nice to hear experience or opinions from various directions. Keep it coming

 

[Mikey]

I can speak from the other side of the coin, as a staff member who is paid to be staff on other sites, it makes it just that little bit more serious and business like. I'm paid to manage a few communities by that company and I take my responsibilities seriously, however I also set myself hours that I will be working on that community, etc.

That's the downside of hiring staff; you can't expect them to come on when they like because they enjoy coming to the site. Here on XenFans I don't come on at set hours, I come here to post because I enjoy it, so I think sometimes it's better to have volunteer staff because of that fact, but also make sure you are friends with your staff, that way you should be able to trust them to not violate any NDA (willingly).

 

[BossmaN]

What Mikey said.

I also think its better to have staff that actually likes the site and its content.
To have staff that dont even know what the website are about cant make the site better.

And there are always people that visit your site often that can alot of things, like design.
Do a thread on the forum if anyone wants to work with designing the website and become a staffmember of the site. Many people think its cool with their own "custom title" and that people know they are staff members.

I also think its worth to learn the website inside out and upgrade the website your self with maybe 1-2 people helping out (dedicated free staff members) (right now i suck at Xenforo thats why i read alot and trying to learn as much as possible so if there are ever any problem i can fix it my self)

Also to have staff that have opinions and ideas "how can we make this better and that better"

Having a forum /website is all about fun (not talking about companies) i think, having staff that doesnt give a sh*t will bring down the forum / website eventually.

 

[craigiri]

It's a strange paradox - but I have often found that unpaid members do more and take their job more seriously than paid ones! Some have refused payment when offered.
The problem is that, for many, moderating is a labor of love and a way for them to learn about community and other subject. As soon as you make it official, the relationship can change...and, frankly, you almost could not pay people enough for the amount of time and energy they spend. I consider my payments to be stipends and honorariums.
The other side of the coin is illustrated by that old joke....
"How do you stop a (fill in blank) woman from having sex?"
"marry her".

Same sometimes goes with turning volunteers into paid employees.....all of a sudden, they are counting the hours!

 

[Michael Dance]

I Dont atm, but when the income comes in the company can afford to pay the bills and then i will be paying my staff members a few hours each minimum wage.

 

[Floris]

It's sometimes tough to get volunteer staff to do things like encouraging topics, adding content, etc because they are just volunteers. I've sometime felt that when I hit a certain amount of $$ from my site, I'd start some sort of profit share with my mods and top quality posters.

2010 was the first year in 7 that I covered all my server and software expenses and then some. Of course, I upgraded my hosting every year so I've always reinvested that revenue back into the site. Maybe next year I'll have the extra working cash to add a paid staffer or 2. It would be an investment into the forum if they also added content like I do.

I think it's a great thing to keep in the back of your mind that when the site is starting to generate income that you can use to invest back into the site via hiring some of the good moderators.

I tend to just find like minded people that are willing to help out on a volunteer basis, though I don't really ask all that much from them. If I had a bigger community I would probably offer them an incentive for their work, though I'd be very cautious about who I'd offer this too as well as make them sign a contract with very specific terms, because in the past I have actually paid staff members and more often than not it did not work out the way we intended and the worst part is that most of the people we had the problems with were good friends of one of the two co owners of the site.

I think it can go either way, you just need to be really specific when discussing what you require from them and what they will get in return. I think it's safer to offer such perks to people who have really done a outstanding job already without asking for much in return, they usually tend to continue doing great work.

The friendship element is horrible, it seriously complicates things. However, if they were friends, they would respect their friends and not say yes to a job just to cash in money and actually feel the responsibility and desire to do the work they are getting paid for. So replacing them with someone else shouldn't be too much of a problem either. Again .. tough though. Easier said than done.

 

[Stormraven]

I have paid people to staff in the past and been paid to staff, sometimes it can be a good idea, but back when my website was starting out I was a bit strapped for cash, but there are advantages and disadvantages to both aspects.

When you provide a nice environment and good quality threads, I find people want to help you out more.

Each to their own I guess

 

[melbo]

I've also thought of a revenue share for high posters of Quality content. Not sure how it would work out and I'd have to be the judge of the Quality.

 

[fluidswork]

Recently my current project includes staff payment but based on there work and as this project is mainly online teaching so i think there we will need very qualified staff as we will not charge students for there classes so i think we are constantly looking for some nice staff all over the world ... so i think the best was to get the work done in right way is to pay them for there time which they devote to the site ....

So i hope that this idea will work but still this is under development .....

But still i agree with this that you should pay the staff for there time they devote to your site or tracker or anything .....

 

[Vincent_imported]

I do not make money of my forum, so I actually see no reason why I should pay my moderators.

I know they do it because they love the project, I also let them do their things, I almost never ask them things.

 

[Beverly Johnson]

I can speak from the other side of the coin, as a staff member who is paid to be staff on other sites, it makes it just that little bit more serious and business like. I'm paid to manage a few communities by that company and I take my responsibilities seriously, however I also set myself hours that I will be working on that community, etc.

That's the downside of hiring staff; you can't expect them to come on when they like because they enjoy coming to the site. Here on XenFans I don't come on at set hours, I come here to post because I enjoy it, so I think sometimes it's better to have volunteer staff because of that fact, but also make sure you are friends with your staff, that way you should be able to trust them to not violate any NDA (willingly).

As you say, it's preferable when a staff member comes to the site because they enjoy working there and not just because they are being paid. But the ideal situation for all involved is if the person is paid AND they want to be there. Would it not be possible to offer a staff member pay but flexible schedule so they could do their job? Anyway, i like the idea of having paid staff but do not have any. Conversely i am admin on a site where the forum owner expects me to do the same work as paid staff and there are MANY requirements. For me, the job is voluntary at best, as i have indicated my work schedule online and offline do not allow for full time online commitment. If the job suddenly became paid, i could clear some of my schedule for admin duties. I have also made that clear.

 

[TayneC8]

When I have a forum, I always try looking for free staff members to start with. I normally end up with a lot of them, but by the end of a few weeks, it's normally down to about 2 or 3. After a few months, I consider to pay the staff on the amount of posts they do on the forum. But 0nly if their posts are good quality and exempt grammar.