How Can We Recognize and Appreciate Helpful Community Members Without Competition?

Although I have been a strong believer that scoring or competition methods should not be used in a community, lately I have been feeling that some recognition is due to all the users who stand up to help others. Till now, we did not have a valid way of showing a user's contribution to the community. Just the number of posts is not a good measure, so we were individually identifying great community members and marking them as seniors. However, this is not very scalable as about 2000 new members join every day, and many of them are very helpful to others.

Introducing the "Appreciation Score"

To give a sense of accomplishment and identify helpful members, I am adding the "Appreciation score" to be displayed on all posts they make. Please remember that appreciation should be taken seriously and should ONLY be used when you truly feel that the material is useful to the community. This is still NOT a competition but just a special display for people who have truly been helpful to others and a mark that shows that the help is appreciated.

This will also provide a sense of warmth in the community—to know that helpful people are everywhere and we need not be cynical and should definitely not hold back from helping others in their hour of need or confusion.

Regards,
Sid

Dear CHR, I wanted to know whenever we post a query, we get maximum replies from the members. But my query is how would we get to know which of the solutions is the best. Sometimes replies from the members contradict each other, and due to that, we don't know whom to follow. So, I have a suggestion that at the end of the query, please conclude the solution in the best way.

Regards

Building a Voting System for Replies

We may try building a voting system for replies, but since the community is built as a discussion platform, sorting the replies based on voting will disrupt the flow of the discussion. A better option is to use the "Appreciate & Validate" button. A heart icon is shown on the right side; if you click on it, it will display the most appreciated replies, and you can take your cues from there.

Agree with your and your tutor's point of view. 

Regards,
Sid

Thank you so much, Mr. Sid, for bringing up the topic that was indeed important to discuss. I have also observed that many members here do not fully understand the value of the "Appreciation and Validation" tool.

Why Do We Appreciate Others for Their Responses?

This is a crucial question that must be understood and answered before using the tool. The tool we have is not just to praise others for responses that we find somewhat good or that make us feel good, but to evaluate the answers and responses that actually fulfill the purpose of the posted thread, query, or question.

Meenakshi has raised a very good and valid point: we often find responses by members that contradict each other and are still appreciated by others or by the owner of the posted thread. This does not actually serve the purpose of this tool and, in my opinion, diminishes its dignity.

"I must not appreciate a response, reply, or answer just because it makes me feel good or because I am happy with it, but only if it meets the expectations and provides a sense of ease and acceptance regarding my query or question."

We often receive many similar replies and responses to our questions or queries from several members. These responses may be appropriate and accurate but in different styles. However, not all responses need to be appreciated or can be appreciated.

We are all more vulnerable and needy than we like to imagine. Authentically appreciating others will make us feel better about ourselves, which actually never serves the purpose of the tool we have here.

In response to "which solution or answer is the best and we need to follow," I would like to share what William Lloyd Garrison has said: "Are right and wrong convertible terms, dependent upon popular opinion?" ~ William Lloyd Garrison

Dear CHR, Good initiative. I also request you to remove the "Contributing Member" title from all members. In my observation, any person who posts above a certain number, x, of posts gets the title of Contributing Member. However, even if their posts are minimal, like just 50 questions, they still receive the title. I do not fully comprehend the criteria for awarding the Contributing Member title. Is it solely based on the number of posts, or does it consider how many queries a member replies to or asks?

Thank you.

Dear Siddhartha & Others! This is a very good initiative to start appreciating others for their best answers given. Also, we need to avoid this site from being fancy with no right answers. I feel if the moderator will be able to sum up every discussion and provide the best solution/answer, people like me who are looking for an answer against the query made, sometimes, based on maximum recommendations, we may ASSUME that this is the right answer and may be lost in a legal battle.

Respected all,

I am new to this forum and here to learn about the field of HR. I regularly read comments by seniors to acquire knowledge about this vast field. I would like to express my views on this topic.

Approach to Learning

I approach it as if writing a thesis on a subject by gathering views and opinions from seniors and others concerned. This is how we capture knowledge and address the queries in our minds. I believe the decision for the correct one can be made independently. However, having the final answer posted by senior members at the end will also serve the purpose.

Regards,
Yogesh

Nice thought, Mr. Sid. I agree with you. This is a good way to measure a member rather than counting the number of contributions. A member's worth can be measured this way. Moreover, any contribution from a member should add value to the thread instead of posting anything invalid or which does not add anything informative. Therefore, I would like this method.

Regards,
Bharghavi

We can observe many members who just add comments that are not informative. We have also seen a few members with a low number of posts but more appreciations, as well as a few members with a high number of posts but fewer appreciations received. Therefore, I would suggest identifying members where the ratio of contributions to appreciations received must be considered.

Case Study: Contribution vs. Appreciation Ratio

For instance, consider the two cases below:

Sl no. | Posts | Appreciations received
---|---|---
1. | 10 | 08
2. | 20 | 08

In this case, obviously, the first person is a more worthy member. Therefore, the ratio of both should be considered.

Regards,
Bharghavi

I appreciate your suggestions and initiatives towards the members participating in Cite HR. I feel that anything posted on this site must have a prime focus on human resources development and sharing the best of knowledge in this field. What people should expect from this site is the best practices in HR, which should be aimed at and implemented for the betterment of the corporate community and social welfare.

I am sure all members will be sharing the best of their experiences and knowledge, which will benefit people like us. Long live Cite HR.

Thanks,
Bijay

One of the only ways we can have deeper conversations here is if the seniors start a discussion. They have their wealth of experience and should probably delve into their past, initiating discussions on past events, actions taken, and exploring alternative approaches to handling situations. Just a thought.

Regards,
Sid

Appreciation and Contribution in Forums

Appreciation for a contribution is fine, as long as it is not taken as a yardstick to judge the status of a contributor. For example, there are a number of queries that are very fundamental or basic information, such as what percentage of PF contribution an employer should make. Such queries are repeated very often despite having been answered many times. If the querists use the internet, most queries are answered then and there without coming to the forum itself, as they are available from plenty of sites. I'm personally not inclined to reply to such basic information.

Notwithstanding, I think that this forum and senior contributors should concentrate on giving solutions, opinions, and suggestions on some of the vexed or complicated scenarios our upcoming members face. Remedies should be provided using the experience and wealth of information one has at their disposal. My opinion is that one shouldn't be carried away by these methodologies or the number of points or appreciations that contributors receive. Others who receive fewer appreciations do not mean they are not experts or lazy fellows, so they should not be discouraged or doubt the system of awarding these credits.

Importance of Independent Research

I am also of the strong view that members should not depend solely on views expressed here for the simple reason that queries are not raised with full information, and circumstances differ from case to case, employer to employer, and region to region. Thus, the solutions cannot be foolproof. All the querists should have their own homework done properly, taking cues from the views of the forum members. In short, the solutions are "without prejudice," and a disclaimer clause applies always and for every query. Therefore, a concluding solution may not be possible in each and every case.

Probably, I may suggest that queries can be closed as and when an appropriate or closest to the real solution is posted so that unnecessary appreciations will not arise and accrue.

Regards,
Kumar S.