The Unpaid Geocaching Workforce.

The game of geocaching, although not invented by Groundspeak, Inc., is certainly controlled by it.  The decision of the types of caches a person can find, where they can find them, how they can find, and how they can record these finds, are controlled by a private company.

It is a game, and much like Monopoly is owned by Hasbro, so too is geocaching “owned” by Groundspeak, Inc.  I say “owned” because some would dispute the fact that geocaching is owned by anyone or any organization.  Even if they are not the owners of the term geocaching, they are most certainly the owners of the game that we currently enjoy participating in.  Twelve years ago Jeremy Irish saw an opportunity right at the get-go and ran with it, and today, almost two million people are running right along with him.

But let’s get back to my original thought, the title of what is, hopefully, the first of many blogs concerning  my thoughts on geocaching.

Groundspeak, Inc. is a business.  They are an incorporated entity.  According to their company website, they have a current staff of 40 employees (source: http://www.groundspeak.com/about.aspx#OurTeam) .  They support their business through the sale of premium memberships, licensing of the geocaching image, sale of merchandise, and, most recently, geocaching apps.

However, where they differ from most traditional businesses is that their success weighs predominately upon the shoulders of a dedicated group of volunteers.  As of June 21, 2012, there are 400 people around the world volunteering their time for Groundspeak, Inc. in the areas of cache reviewers, forum moderators, and translators (source: http://blog.geocaching.com/2012/06/geocaching-com-presents-geocaching-volunteers/).

What other business do you know of that “employs” such a large number of volunteers?

According to their own blog, Latitude 47, dated January 13, 2011:
“Volunteer reviewers power Geocaching.com by reviewing and publishing each geocache.”

Also this blog post from Latitude 47, dated November 23, 2011:
“Collectively, they have published more than a half million new geocaches, supported more than 380,000 new geocachers and translated geocaching information into more than 25 languages in the past year alone. That’s a lot of time and geocaching know-how shared for the good of the global geocaching community. Oh, and most of them have “regular jobs” too.”

Groundspeak, Inc. says, in essence, that volunteers ensure that the sport of geocaching using the geocaching.com website as a platform runs smoothly, and by extension, ensures that Groundspeak, Inc. stays in business.

If there were no unpaid volunteers, there would be three likely outcomes: 1. The company would have to remove the free play option and hire additional staff, running up the cost of doing business, which would be passed down to us, the consumer; 2. The review of caches (ALL caches, as in, worldwide) would be done by the small, dedicated staff at HQ, slowing down publications, creating backlogs, and likely causing people to leave the sport; or 3.  The business model would not work as it stands, and the company folds, along with geocaching.com.

It is not like there is any arm-twisting going on here.  Volunteers know full well what they are getting themselves into.  Groundspeak, Inc. has an identified list of criteria for what would make a good volunteer cache reviewer (source: http://support.groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=278).  There is also the unwritten rule that you never ask to be a volunteer, but are asked.  Asking means you will never become a Groundspeak Inc. volunteer in this lifetime.  The company does provide compensation, a “thank you”, of some kind to their reviewers (I have heard, among other things, a specially designed, limited edition geocoin), but clearly this is not the same as being a salaried employee.

Is Groundspeak, Inc. a heartless corporate monster, riding the wave of an unpaid labour force in order to enhance their own bottom line?

Personally, I find myself conflicted.  Although I do not like the idea of a company flourishing because of the sacrifices of unpaid volunteers, I also recognize that the dedication of volunteers to the sport of geocaching has allowed for free access to anyone who wants to play the game through geocaching.com.

What are your thoughts?