(See the original posting by Caroline https://we.riseup.net/freeyerself/proposal-on-increasing-incentives-for-staffing-ope)
Update: Staffer Only Open Shop approved at the June 13, 2010 Collective Council Meeting. Discussion on Staffer Only Open Shop here: Staffer Only Open Shop Pick-a-Date¶
Problem:¶
Staffing open shop requires extra training and orientation, and extra responsibility that other volunteer tasks don’t require. Yet, there are no extra incentives to encourage people to volunteer as staffers versus volunteering in any other role. Thus, staffing rates have been hard to manage over the years, with the “status quo” being kind of a constant, desperate state of last-minute soliciting people to sign up to staff each open shop.
Double-count staffing volunteer hours¶
My idea about increasing the incentives members have to staff is: having staffing hours count as double, or time and a half, in terms of volunteer hours.
Eg. 4 hours of regular volunteer tasks = 4 hours on your log sheet
4 hours of staffing = 6 hours or 8 hours on your log sheet
I know that historically, Free Ride has maintained a STRICT “one hour = one hour, no matter WHAT you’re doing!” I think this policy is a good when we’re talking about spending an hour of time returning voicemails, doing legal work, or cleaning out a sink versus doing bike-y stuff, but I think that the demands on staffers have increased—meanwhile, we don’t do anything to make staffing any more appealing than other volunteer work. In fact, since general volunteer work can be personalized to your skill set and interests (e.g. working on bikes if you’re into that, sorting and reorganizing if you’re into that, etc.) then it’s even more appealing to earn hours that way, not through staffing.
Thus, I propose that we modify our policy such that ONLY STAFFING HOURS may be considered at a rate of 1.5 to 2 hours for every 1. NO exceptions would be made to this regarding the difficulty of any other work done while volunteering for Free Ride. Staffing only. I think this is reasonable because staffing kind of crosses the line into being a “job” that requires considerable orientation and training, much like the “jobs” we actually pay for, like teaching youth and adult classes and commissioned bike building. Unless we’re willing to pay money for shop staffers (some other collectives do this, some don’t, but regardless this would require a MAJOR shift in the way we currently do business), we should think of something that would incentivize people to want to take on that extra responsibility & training required of staffers. My suggestion is to increase their “rate of (volunteer hour) pay,” but I’m sure there’s other ideas…
Raffle¶
We could give out a raffle ticket every time you staff. Then once or twice a year at some party or even we could hold a raffle. It would be a way to let people get nice donated stuff that is otherwise first come first serve. We could get non-bike stuff donated or just put some small qbp items up for raffle.
Classes¶
Attend one of our basic mechanics classes for free if you staff twice a month (?)
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I liked the idea of offering class for free to anyone who staffs x amount of times in the month. That one is good too. |
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I support the raffle if someone else wants to bottom-line orchestrating it. The free class to folks who staff +2x monthly seems great, and will be much easier to confirm when we can just pull up the staffing calendar in the shop. The volunteer hour x 1.5 has good sense in it. I see no harm in it, either. |
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It is likely that a regular volunteer will have enough hours at 1:1 to redeem for classes and parts, especially since parts are not priced. If used parts were priced, then I can see how earning at a higher rate would be desirable. Would a shop fee for all but waived for staffers be appropriate? This is not very enticing though. I like the raffle idea but think that it needs to happen regularly (monthly? quarterly?) to keep people motivated. As for keeping track of staff shifts, I don’t know what the best method would be because (1) some people show up to staff without signing up on the calendar, (2) some people sign up on the calendar and end up not staffing, and (3) some people are there to ‘help out’ but end up working on their own projects for the majority of the shift while still claiming volunteer/staffing hours. I like the staff only shop time / potluck (with raffle?). I think it’s important to keep people engaged socially. |
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Maybe we need to know what’s important to the people we want to reach. Any incentive system can have a defined audience and limits to how much of that incentive someone wants. Do we have email addresses to ask past staffers what is important to them and what would make staffing in the future easier or more rewarding? We also might uncover problems we aren’t seeing that would stand in the way of any incentive. |
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I always lose at raffles, so please, no raffles. If it was just me entered, I’d lose. That and the lottery. No lotteries either. Both are a disincentive for me. Ugh, raffles… I’m supportive of Carmen’s suggestion for staff only open shop time and potluck and agree it’s important to keep people engaged socially, (and fed and happy). Cuts down on the biting. Don’t know if it will suffice as incentive for everyone, though. I think this idea has its own legs, regardless. I’m for staffing hours to be counted towards new parts. Heck, I’m supportive of paying the Staffer, Shadow, and mechanic a straight $8 an hour; it is work. We don’t have the money. What does the average Open Shop make? My limited experience suggests the shop makes just barely enough to pay three for four hours, so it’s a wash. I implore everyone to stop using the term “greeter”. I suspect it’s just me, but I wince every time I hear it. Those people the age of my grandfather who push their walkers with the portable oxygen tank and defibrillator at you and smile and say “Welcome to Wal-Mart!” are called “Greeters”. It’s my recurring nightmare to spend my final days on this planet greeting people as they enter Wal-Mart. (Yes, fine, I know this because Wal-Mart is the only vendor within a hundred kilometers selling Azteca tortilla, which to my tastes make the finest tostados.) BikePGH is attempting to inventory and order Kraynick’s. bike-pgh.org/bbpress/topic/help-me-help... |
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What alternative term should we use to replace greeter? |
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Open Shop Overlord? The “shadow” would then be Open Shop Minion, and The Mechanic would be The Mechanic. Seriously, no big whoop. I can deal. Seems to me though, the Greeter is more like an Open Shop Manager. I am supportive of almost any incentive being offered to staff. |
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