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General Can a forum have too many staff members?
- Thread starter Bawse
- Start date
For discussions that don't fit other prefixes.
Cedric
力は欲望ではなく、必要に応じて現れる
Yes, a forum can have too many staff members. I find it’s intimidating to members when the staff-to-member ratio feels off. When a forum has an overwhelming number of staff compared to its regular user base, it can give off the vibe that the community is overly policed or that members’ every move is being scrutinized. This discourages engagement and makes the space feel less welcoming.
A bloated staff team might also lead to confusion or unnecessary conflicts among staff themselves, as too many cooks in the kitchen can create overlapping responsibilities or power struggles. Where one does a lot, and the other is not motivated to do anything. It’s important for each staff member to have a clear role and purpose within the community. Otherwise, you risk having inactive or redundant staff positions that don’t contribute to the forum's growth or atmosphere.
But the fault here often lies with the admins. Not being able to give out fair responsibilities to their team. Not taking control themselves. Or to a point where admins themselves don't do anything at all, and leave it up to the staff. It's bound to go wrong.
On the flip side, an active, engaged staff team that matches the needs of the community can do wonders. It’s all about the balance. A smaller, well-aligned staff team with clear communication and direction will almost always be more effective than a large, disorganized one.
A bloated staff team might also lead to confusion or unnecessary conflicts among staff themselves, as too many cooks in the kitchen can create overlapping responsibilities or power struggles. Where one does a lot, and the other is not motivated to do anything. It’s important for each staff member to have a clear role and purpose within the community. Otherwise, you risk having inactive or redundant staff positions that don’t contribute to the forum's growth or atmosphere.
But the fault here often lies with the admins. Not being able to give out fair responsibilities to their team. Not taking control themselves. Or to a point where admins themselves don't do anything at all, and leave it up to the staff. It's bound to go wrong.
On the flip side, an active, engaged staff team that matches the needs of the community can do wonders. It’s all about the balance. A smaller, well-aligned staff team with clear communication and direction will almost always be more effective than a large, disorganized one.
Shawn Gossman
Community Explorer
Sometimes.
If you have more staff than members, yeah, that's not appealing.
But if you have a lot of staff doing different parts (like here) or you have a very active forum with a lot of members, I think more staff can be beneficial as long as they're all active.
A forum full of stuff that looks inactive is an inactive-looking forum.
If you have more staff than members, yeah, that's not appealing.
But if you have a lot of staff doing different parts (like here) or you have a very active forum with a lot of members, I think more staff can be beneficial as long as they're all active.
A forum full of stuff that looks inactive is an inactive-looking forum.
Khantastic
Rookie Contributor
Yes, of course a forum can have too many staff members, like having more lifeguards than swimmers in a pool!
But I would say If there are too many staff members, it can create confusion, overlap responsibilities, and even intimidate regular users from engaging. Plus, with everyone trying to "help," it might feel more like a staff meeting than a lively community.
The key is to have just enough active, reliable staff to manage the forum's needs without turning it into an all-staff convention.
But I would say If there are too many staff members, it can create confusion, overlap responsibilities, and even intimidate regular users from engaging. Plus, with everyone trying to "help," it might feel more like a staff meeting than a lively community.
The key is to have just enough active, reliable staff to manage the forum's needs without turning it into an all-staff convention.
