Possible return of unfriendly, bossy volunteer

Miss_Heartilly · 4 July 2017 at 6:07PM

I volunteer 3 days a week in a charity shop, in which I am responsible for now opening the shop, running the shop floor (As there is nobody else in who can use the till) cashing up, banking the takings at the end of the day and doing other stuff like put out clothes etc.. I have the help of one other volunteer who is great when he's not been very reliable lately so there is times when I am on my own some of the day, sometimes all day. Then there will be days when we are overstaffed as two other people may turn in. But as none of these can use the till, if I don't come in (if i'm ill etc..) we can't open up.

Anyway, a month and half ago another volunteer (who has now sort of left.) let's call her Maureen decided to boss me around for no apparent reason. She came in unannounced one day, blanked my 'good morning' at the door and just glared at me instead (After having several weeks off volunteering beforehand) and basically told me (After i had already opened the shop and logged onto the till) to "get off the till and never touch it again" I had been doing this particular role for a few weeks and was asked by management to do so, as nobody knew if she was coming back or not as she refused to answer her phone for weeks on end.

Anyway after standing up for myself by letting Maureen know I was going to continue doing what the manager had asked me to. She started having a go at me infront of other staff members saying I had messed up the till (I didn't. The till was fine) , including a delivery guy. (who later complained to the management on my behalf about Maureen having a bad attitude towards me) I ended up walking out, pretty upset and angry at the unprovoked incident and felt as if I was pushed from my role that I was doing pretty well.

Anyhow, management had a word with her... Apparently, they know she can be bossy and just say that's how she is etc.. but it was more than that. She was being nasty and it was almost bully like behaviour. Just because I was doing her old role which she obviously wanted back.

Since that day, she hasn't been back which was over a month ago. But management are apparently keeping her position open. God, knows why as not many of the other volunteers are upset that she's gone, and since she's been gone everyone has had more freedom to try new things with the shop ie window dressing, and sorting through the donations without her trying to control every aspect of it. Morale is much higher as we all muck in together nobody bossing anybody else around.

My problem is I have heard rumours of her possible return and I am gutted to be honest. When she comes back the atmosphere is going to be unbearable, she will try bossing us all around again and will refuse to remove from behind the till to stop anybody else from using it. She'll try and take over and run it the old way, which is all her way. with nobody else having a say in anything... That's how controlling she is. I will lose all the responsibility I currently have, even though she let the shop down by being absent for a month and half and if it werent for me the shop would of lost alot of money as it wouldn't of opened up.

I am unsure of what to do. As I really do enjoy this volunteer work and don't want her ruining mine or any other volunteers experience.

[Deleted User] · 4 July 2017 at 6:20PM

Simple.

Don nothing, until the "rumours of her possible return" become something than just that.

Miss_Heartilly · 4 July 2017 at 6:23PM

Deleted_User wrote: »

Simple.

Don nothing, until the "rumours of her possible return" become something than just that.

Any advice if she does return?

tacpot12 · 4 July 2017 at 6:25PM

I'd ask your manager if the rumour is true, and if they confirm it is or might be, then tell them you will leave if Maureen returns. Make them choose between you and Maureen. There must be other charity shops near you that don't have a Maureen.

If they were paying you, my advice would be different but they're not.

Hedgehog99 · 4 July 2017 at 6:45PM

Unless the particular charity is personally important to you, or unless it is the only conveniently located CS for you to work in, I would get into a position where you are prepared and equipped to leave.

If you can get a reference now from a manager who knows how good you have been (before Maureen has the chance to poison their mind), then perhaps you can get a position recognising your skills at an alternative CS?

Maureens are toxic and unless this is realised by those with the power to deal with them, it's devastating for the rest of the staff. I've been there, bullied by a colleague and then finding management doesn't properly deal with the perpetrator. It is miserable.

If the management of your CS are not up to taking a stand and getting rid of Maureen, then I'm afraid they don't care enough about you or your good colleagues. Many managers think they have a happy team and are oblivious of the misery beneath the surface, but your managers have been told about her before, and by an independent witness too, so there is no excuse for their toothless behaviour.

They probably won't even realise their mistake when the good volunteers all leave and the shop's closed most of the time because the only volunteer still there (Maureen in her personal empire), isn't, well, there very often.

You could wait and see if the rumours are true (while equipping yourself to leave). If she arrives and is rude, just walk out, and phone your manager to explain why.

I wish you well and hope you can end up in a happy volunteering situation without any more Maureens.

ACG · 4 July 2017 at 7:01PM

Could you all not just discuss with the manager that you as a group would prefer it if she did not return?

GlasweJen · 4 July 2017 at 10:18PM

I know volunteering is important, I'm a volunteer myself but you need to weigh up what you're gaining from your voluntary work.

No one is paying you so you're not gaining financially, you've had training which would be good if you wanted to enter the job market and work in retail but with Maureen around will you get more training or will you be turning up at the shop and just bossed around doing menial work while she does all the good jobs?

I'm not very quick at opening my mouth when it comes to people being horrible to me at work but if it happened where I volunteer I would tell management that I'm not working with Maureen because she's a bully and you value your mental health more than you value giving away your time for free to a charity who don't care about their staff well being.

We have a volunteer at county level and she knows well that she better not approach me or talk to me at meetings because I can't stand her, she's false and goes on and on about how she wants my job, well she can't have it and when she nit picks about my girls I just tell her to say something nice or remove herself from my company.

z1a · 4 July 2017 at 10:24PM

She may want control of the till because she's dipping in it.

theoretica · 4 July 2017 at 11:02PM

Does she come in every day the shop is open? I would suggest a request to management that you are scheduled on different days. That lets them know you don't want to work with her but sounds nicer than tell her to go or I will leave.

It is obviously to the shop's advantage to have more than one person capable of opening up and doing the till, as people do go away or get ill. Do your fellow volunteers want to be trained up in this if she leaves?

jessex1990 · 5 July 2017 at 6:12AM

If I was the manager I would be appalled that this volunteer Maureen had the audacity to act as if she was the boss. The toxic atmosphere being created, her lack of reliability would lead to me asking her not to return, not keeping a volunteer position reserved for her

Fireflyaway · 5 July 2017 at 8:20AM

I'm a volunteer manager and if I had a volunteer being rude and cup setting colleagues I'd give them a stern warning and if it carried in, ask her to leave. Volunteers are pretty invaluable but not irreplaceable if they upset everyone else.
Mention to the manager that you are anxious but try not to over think it. She might not come back or may now have an improved attitude. Don't let this ruin your dedication and hard work.

Possible return of unfriendly, bossy volunteer

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