Possible return of unfriendly, bossy volunteer

Owain_Moneysaver

This sounds like your manager is incompetent or lazy or both. If this is a branch of a major reputable charity retailer then I think you need to go over the manager's head to the regional retail manager.

Putting money aside in the till for later removal can be caught by the manager doing an impromptu till check mid-shift -- a till 'over' is just as much a concern as a till 'short' -- in fact genuine 'shorts' are usually caused by ringing-up errors and are easily detected and explained from looking at the audit roll.

Maureen might be doing "£4 -- that's £3 to you love!" which is why the customers like her, but if she's ringing that through as £2 each time then that's £1 a go that she's keeping. Ten times a day is £50 a week.

If you have a lone worker policy then the answer is simple -- do not open the shop. Phone the manager, and wait for him or a second volunteer to arrive. Document on your daily shift sheet, message book or whatever that the shop opened late.

Absolutely refuse to share a till shift with Maureen -- insist that you start the shift with a witnessed float count and a clean X reading from the previous shift, you are the only operator, and you carry out a witnessed X reading, cash count and reconciliation at the end of your shift. (And the till should serial-number the X,Y,Z readings so you check your shift reading is one increment up from the previous reading, so you know no-one's doing hidden readings mid-shift).

Also check that donation boxes are emptied and counted by two people, and the box seals should be serial-numbered too, with all donations recorded with both the seal number and the till receipt number, so that donation boxes can't be opened. Donation boxes shouldn't be used as a source of small change. A good manager should be checking that record and the actual donation box a couple of times a week.

fizz

ohreally wrote: »

Why are you still volunteering for this outfit?

Because the OP believes in what the charity is doing? It is close to the Op's heart?....the reasons are endless.

Chuck it in OP...there are many that would appreciate your dedication and time.:j

fizz.x

sangie595

You don't like Maureen. You don't like the manager. You don't like the "new girl". Someone is stealing but you have never seen it happen. And storing something that may or may not be legitimate in a locker that happens to open with your key. Etc. Etc.

Are you sure the problem is everyone else?

Nicki

There was something very odd about the fact that OP's primary complaint about Maureen was that she was bossy and unfriendly and that was the reason stated for not wanting her to come back. If she's genuinely stealing from the charity that's clearly way more serious than having an abrasive personality so strange it took the OP so long to mention it, and even stranger she didn't think initially that was a better reason not to want to see her return!

Londonsu

I am going to try and help the OP on another post but I really am going to set you straight about the BIB


I am a charity shop manager before that I held a very very senior position in the print trade and I assure you that even at age 62 and in an unemployment black spot I would have no trouble at all in securing employment as I have a lot to offer, my own shop before I took it over was struggling, now we are beating targets every week and I won an award for being the top shop in my area so I find your comments about charity shop mangers a tad offensive, my area manager herself who is from a high street retailer knows the value of good managers and has upped the wages in her area to recruit experienced managers because she knows a good manager will make MORE money for the charity and she expects a lot from us in return (and gets it) but even though I now earn less a month than I used to pay in tax, its still a good wage

Londonsu

OP its clear from this thread and the other on from a 3 months ago that you feel you are intolerable situation.


You don't say what the charity is but if there is no paid manager on site all the time and the fact that you should close at 3 means to me its not one of the big charities as most of them trade until at least 5 and have paid staff to manage the shop.


As I stated in your last thread I don't ever say on line who I work for but if you message me and I would be happy to see if we have shops near where you live and would also be happy to contact the manager to see if they have any vacancies.


One of the things that has come out of your posts and correct me if I am wrong is the fact that volunteers are taking the money to the bank, this is a no no, all volunteers are covered by public liability insurance whilst on site, however that insurance does not cover you if you get attacked whilst taking money to the bank, in my own shop (and others I know about) myself and my assistant are covered because we are paid staff, I also have one keyholder volunteer who can also go to the bank, but she had to sign a form and her details had to go to HR, to put it into perspective my husband volunteers in my shop, we have been married for 45 years and I trust him with my life BUT he is not a key holder volunteer, if I sent him to the bank and my charity found out I would lose my job.


I think you need to leave, in your last thread you said you had an application form for another charity- how did that work out.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Londonsu wrote: »

As I stated in your last thread I don't ever say on line who I work for but if you message me and I would be happy to see if we have shops near where you live and would also be happy to contact the manager to see if they have any vacancies.

So in one post you say how charity shop managers are a professional and competent bunch of people. And in the next you propose recruiting somebody based on this thread. Yeah.....

sangie595

I am sure that they are genuine - from their perspective. But every story has two sides, and I suspect that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Regardless of everything, the OP appears to come across as every bit as territorial as Maureen is supposed to be. It does leave me to wonder what the "new girls" posts about her would read like.

It seems to me that without proper management (and I agree with Londonsu - some of the comments on here about volunteers and their managers have been unacceptably offensive without any cause) what has happened here is that the mice have taken control of the kitchen, and are fighting over the cheese. Volunteers need every bit as much support and management as employees do, and in its absence they end up in the same place that many employees with poor managers do.

Londonsu

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

So in one post you say how charity shop managers are a professional and competent bunch of people. And in the next you propose recruiting somebody based on this thread. Yeah.....

What????? I said I would see if the manager had any vacancies not they would be recruited, what I would expect to happen as an extremely professional and highly competent manger is this. OP tells me where they are based, I see if we have a branch in their area, if we do I ring the manager and ask if they are recruiting, if they are I will say there may be someone interested , I let the OP have the phone no of the shop, she rings the manager and arranges to come for an interview, she fills in the application form and has an interview, based on whether or not the manager feels they are a good fit, have the required skills and can do the hours and days required the manager either recruits or they don't - OK

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Londonsu wrote: »

What????? I said I would see if the manager had any vacancies not they would be recruited, what I would expect to happen as an extremely professional and highly competent manger is this. OP tells me where they are based, I see if we have a branch in their area, if we do I ring the manager and ask if they are recruiting, if they are I will say there may be someone interested , I let the OP have the phone no of the shop, she rings the manager and arranges to come for an interview, she fills in the application form and has an interview, based on whether or not the manager feels they are a good fit, have the required skills and can do the hours and days required the manager either recruits or they don't - OK

And you'd tell the manager you found this person posting anonymously on a website about all the problems they were having with their manager and their fellow staff? Do you think that manager would think you'd acted professionally and thank you for it?