Leadership How do you empower your staff to be more involved?

[Cedric]

At some point in our communities, we've had staff members go inactive. Or there's people who just don't care to be involved. Your team plays a crucial role in the success of your community, but getting them actively engaged is sometimes a challenge. As a leader, how do you encourage your staff to take ownership and contribute to the community’s success?

Questions to consider:

• Do you offer specific incentives, payments or perks to keep staff motivated and engaged?
• How do you ensure your team stays aligned with your community’s goals and values?
• What strategies do you use to foster collaboration and enthusiasm among your moderators or admins?
• Have you ever faced challenges in getting staff more involved, and how did you overcome them?

Let’s discuss the best ways to empower staff members and create a team that’s deeply involved in your community’s growth.

 

[Cory]

I think offering incentives is always a must these days where it's hard to find volunteers for the sake of being a staff member. They don't always have to involve real currency because there are many means of incentives you can offer. Incentives do indeed encourage staff members to participate in the community and make them feel more valuable for doing so.

Since 2018, I've had about three different staff members who have retired now. I'm flying solo with nearly 2000 members registered. If I were to ever offer staff positions, I would try and offer the best incentives I can to make them feel interested and to value their workmanship.

 

[Al]

I think offering incentives is always a must these days where it's hard to find volunteers for the sake of being a staff member. They don't always have to involve real currency because there are many means of incentives you can offer. Incentives do indeed encourage staff members to participate in the community and make them feel more valuable for doing so.

There’s a massive difference between empowerment and incentivising. Empowerment builds a sense of ownership and purpose, meaning there is a deeper commitment and connection to the community. Incentives, on the other hand, offer an external reward that, while motivating, often relies on ongoing “carrots” to keep people engaged. Both are effective ways of motivating staff, but empowerment is much better in many ways.

Since 2018, I've had about three different staff members who have retired now. I'm flying solo with nearly 2000 members registered. If I were to ever offer staff positions, I would try and offer the best incentives I can to make them feel interested and to value their workmanship.

It sounds like you’re dealing with volunteer burnout which is a common issue in communities where the demand on a small team is high. With nearly 2,000 members and only one person running the show, you’ve seen first-hand the toll it takes. There's a few ways to combat this.

To start, give clear, meaningful roles that contribute directly to the community’s health and growth. So rather than a generic moderator title, assign duties that align with each person's skills or interests. Some roles to consider would be Community Engagement Lead or Content Curator. Give people responsibility for a unique aspect of the community.

Recognition can often be superior to reward when it comes to motivating people to contribute. A pinned message acknowledging effort can be surprisingly motivating. Public appreciation builds trust and loyalty in a way that simple rewards don’t.

Volunteers need a sense of belonging. Consider setting up a Staff Lounge area where they can discuss issues, share ideas, or even just socialise. Staff members who feel connected to one another often feel a greater sense of commitment to the community goals.

Burnout can come from unclear or demanding expectations. Being upfront about the level of commitment each role requires is super useful. Regularly check in with your volunteers. They're giving up their time, dedication and effort for free. Adjust these expectations based on staff feedback.

 

[Bluezone777]

The only thing I ever needed to offer was the privilege of being apart of the team that builds and maintains a place where quality conversations take place in a quality atmosphere with quality people. The issue most have is they aren't offering that then act surprised when no one wants to bother joining their community much less its staff team and if they do then they quickly exit as there isn't anything to compel someone to stick around.

 

[Al]

So perhaps most are going about this arse-backwards. We should build and maintain a place where quality conversations take place in a quality atmosphere with quality people and then people will want to be a part of that team.

 

[Cory]

@Al: Thanks for the advice. My board may have many members, but I think the posting activity is slow enough that I can handle the forum as a one-man show. If I were to run more of a "discussion" board instead of a resource board, I would try to find staff members to help build content and engagement. But, since resources are my primary focus, I continue to build up the resources as much as possible so users are engaged with what their board can benefit from.

 

[Cedric]

@Al: Thanks for the advice. My board may have many members, but I think the posting activity is slow enough that I can handle the forum as a one-man show. If I were to run more of a "discussion" board instead of a resource board, I would try to find staff members to help build content and engagement. But, since resources are my primary focus, I continue to build up the resources as much as possible so users are engaged with what their board can benefit from.

I may have said this before on AJ but, back in the day when I had resource boards, I had it setup where you needed 10 or 20 posts in order to see the actual resources which always generated activity in that way.

 

[Al]

I may have said this before on AJ but, back in the day when I had resource boards, I had it setup where you needed 10 or 20 posts in order to see the actual resources which always generated activity in that way.

Did that not just encourage spam?

 

[Cedric]

Did that not just encourage spam?

Yes and no. There were a few, but overall it brought good engagement and quality. Was definitely worth it. But it was more hyped and normal back then. Unsure if it would work nowadays.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I try to make it a point that I give them full discretion on taking action when needed. They don't need to ask permission to ban a member if needed. If they do it wrongly, it will be a different situation, but I want them to make the decision on their own without asking me unless it's super complex.