Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Online Community Compensation Study Sets the Benchmark for Salaries in the Industry

Forum One Networks, a strategy and research group specializing in online communities, conducted the first in-depth study of online community staff compensation to date. The Online Community Compensation Survey reported, on average, that survey participants had a job satisfaction rating of 4.2 out of 5. Of the 225 respondents, 65% were salaried and work 41-50 hours per week. While 78% of those surveyed were 31 years of age or older, individual salaries greatly, with salaries ranging anywhere from $25K annually to $150K annually.

Many respondents stated that their companies don’t have a full appreciation for their job duties and responsibilities and as a result, their salaries are lower than they should be. One survey respondent notes that “companies will pay more for community staff once the value is realized. In order to add to our community team…we are showing the value that the community has to our company as a whole, such as; reducing support calls, up-sells, and generally more satisfied customers. Then it’s easier to justify salaries and increased staff.” The survey includes detailed information on salaries by gender, age and location. Perhaps one of the most interesting findings is that women who participated in the survey are paid 91% of the average men’s salaries.

More information on CRM can be found at www.CRMindustry.com

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