A training program helps your team learn to enforce the rules in a consistent manner.
Jeff, Group Admin
Key Tips
- Explain your moderation approach and group goals so your team is on the same page.
- Consider role-playing different moderation scenarios so your team members get a sense of how to enforce rules effectively.
- Create a private group for your team of admins and moderators to communicate.
Upload files with training documents to your team's private group so people can reference them when making decisions.
Admins have different approaches for training and developing their team, from creating a training manual to role-playing different moderation scenarios. How you decide to train your team will depend on the size and culture of your group.
Here are key points that we've learned from experienced admins:
- Be accessible to new team members. If questions arise, you can help guide their decision-making.
- As new team members are getting started, they may make mistakes or choose to moderate situations differently. If you disagree with their decision, discuss it privately with your team and brainstorm more effective techniques.
- Supporting your team's actions in the group helps members respect the rest of your team. If a new moderator makes a comment on a thread, you can simply like the comment to help reinforce their decision.
- Keep a reference document with guidance for your team in a central place (many admins use a private group and units for this and to communicate privately with each other).
Turn your group rules into a training guide
Even if your team is familiar with your group rules, it can be helpful to share examples on how to enforce them. Where are the lines drawn in your group? What do you absolutely allow or not allow? Examples help clarify rules, even if they may seem obvious to you. Creating these resources can help you easily train new admins or moderators as they join the team. You can refer back to this training guide if people on your team have trouble coming to a moderation decision.
Assign responsibilities across the team
Admins of large groups told us their teams often divide moderation responsibilities based on their interests. While one team member may review the member request queue quickly and effectively, another may enjoy monitoring post approvals and comment threads.
Help your team be successful by identifying moderation roles best suited for them. You can also divide responsibilities by people's availability. Global groups have team members in different countries and time zones, so there is always someone to help moderate the group. Set clear expectations so team members know what they are responsible for and when. This way, you and your team decide what works best for everyone.
