Dear Eric: The manager at my place of work volunteers with a group that’s not related to our work. The volunteer group works with the court system to help women in recovery from substance abuse access community resources. My co-workers and I hear our manager interact with other group volunteers when they occasionally meet at our workspace: manager loudly and effusively offers support to the other volunteers and promises unbounded support to the women in recovery.
The problem is when an individual in the recovery program calls or walks in to see the manager (whose office is in the back of the facility), the manager curses under her breath and disparages the women. The manager usually still comes out to greet the person and will make a huge dramatic show of it, promising more help and support, and apparently never following through. This is heartbreaking for me and my co-workers, but completely in line with the manager’s day-to-day treatment of us workers.
One of my co-workers is close to a volunteer in the recovery program. Should they tell how the manager really reacts to the women? – Volunteering Information Dear Information: Not all help is good help. If this manager is willing to be so open about her distaste for the people she’s supposedly serving, it’s surely showing up in her volunteer work and negatively impacting the women in recovery.
Your co-worker should share your perspective with the volunteer group. If they’re worth their salt, they’ll want to know.