What Constitutes A Hostile Work Environment For Volunteers?

In my last post about Volunteering, Never Again Volunteer Yourself, I discussed how people can have different experiences when volunteering for various organizations. Using myself as an example, I talked about how I've volunteered for a therapeutic riding group that specialized in horse therapy for handicapped children, I've volunteered with PTSD groups, the Veterans Administration, the Pacific Islanders Cultural Association, the John Coffee Hays Club, with a local American Legion post, with a local Marine Corps League Detachment, and the Calaveras County Sheriff's Volunteer Unit.

Frankly, my post must have hit a nerve since some of you wrote that you couldn't believe how volunteering could turn out so bad. Others of you wrote to say how you've had to endure the same BS that I have. 

As for volunteering at the American Legion, some of you have written to describe how your American Legion post is nothing like what I experienced. Frankly, that's great to hear. Too bad it wasn't my experience. As a Veteran, it's tough to see people who have never served or didn't even make it through Boot Camp take over an American Legion post. But, I guess that happens. 

Some of you wrote to say how surprised you are to find out that I didn't quit volunteering at the American Legion long before I did. And of course, a few of you wrote to say that you're surprised that my experience with the American Legion didn't sour me and turn me against volunteering ever again.

As I said in my other article, it all depends on what you want to do, what you want out of the group, and what you're willing to put up with when dealing with petty politics and mean-spirited people. Some groups have more than others. Some groups are small enough that that sort of thing is almost non-existent. 

But, as in life in general, as most of us know, some people are easier to deal with than others. Mean-spirited is another way of saying someone is obnoxious, spiteful, contemptuous, and malicious. It's a way of saying someone is basically a prize-winning jerk. And yes, my friends, they are everywhere! 

And as for being a volunteer, some folks can get by without letting group politics affect them. For them, they will probably enjoy the group despite the petty politics and having to put up with mean-spirited jerks. Folks who are good at ignoring the petty politics of a group are usually better than most at focusing on the reason why they're there in the first place. 

As for mean-spirited people? I've dealt with a few over the years. And yes, I'm very glad that I haven't had to deal with some of them ever again. Some of them, well let's just say I'm hoping Karma comes around and bites them in the ass! 

One fairly mean-spirited woman who I've had the displeasure of dealing with fits the mold of someone who is just an unhappy person out to make the lives of others just as miserable as hers is. She's truly a nasty individual who seems to enjoy causing harm and turmoil -- especially if she doesn't get her way. 

She's the root cause of dissent within one of the groups I've belonged to. Of course, it's not surprising that the more I looked into things the more I was contacted by other volunteers complaining about her. I found out that she was the cause of the undercurrent of contentiousness and ongoing hostility in that group.

Why is she that way? Why is she so malicious and negative? What's the reason she's the way she is? 

Well, in my opinion, she likes to be unkind and inconsiderate to others. She enjoys it. She's the sort of person who smiles to your face but at the same time is a conniving backstabber. Most mean-spirited people are like her. They are the way they are because they're unsatisfied with their lives. They're unhappy. They're full of contempt and derision for others because it makes them feel good. 

Most mean-spirited people aren't people of good character. They lack a moral compass. They don't have the values and integrity of good people. The lady who I knew was anything but honorable. And yes, she also lacked kindness and empathy for others. You can tell that every time she opened her mouth, she derides others almost every chance she gets. 

I'm sure she hasn't changed. She's contemptuous and uses her position to create a clique and collude with others. She's the sort of person who would kick someone while they're down. Believe it or not, she created division and pressured others to be non-cooperative with supervisors. 

Imagine for a moment that someone would actually sabotage things in their group just to make sure someone else fails or gets fired -- just so they will be promoted? Imagine pressuring other volunteers to be uncooperative with their supervisors just to make a supervisor look bad? That's taking being malicious to a new level -- especially when merely volunteering.  

And if that's not enough, what's really asinine about her is that she's the sort of low life, just a cheap and nasty person, who would do anything to gain power and position to boost her own lack of self-worth -- even in a volunteer organization. Of course, everything that she's done has created a hostile work environment. 

So What Is A Hostile Work Environment?

Some think that such a despicable person, someone who treats other volunteers in a condescending and demeaning way, would only harm the section she controls. But, that's not true. Such a person is never satisfied with only spreading hostility and fostering opposition in a small group.

It's been my experience that negative people, especially those with personal gain in mind, are not satisfied until they have negatively affected the entire organization. It's as if they see their mission to create a hostile work environment -- and their goal is not achieved until they make volunteering unpleasant for everyone involved. And yes, they do this by creating tension, discord, conflict, contention, dissension, antagonism, and contempt. 

In the state of California, a "hostile work environment" is defined as "a workplace that is so abusive or offensive that it makes it difficult for employees to do their jobs. It can be caused by a pattern of behaviors that are severe or pervasive and can include:

1. Harassment: Verbal abuse, derogatory language, threats, physical harassment, sexual harassment, exclusion, submitting false accusations.
2. Intimidation: Bullying, threatening behavior, or work sabotage.
3. Favoritism: When employers give perks or promotions to some employees over others based on personal preference.

California law prohibits employers from creating a hostile work environment and requires them to take reasonable steps to prevent it. The Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) applies to all California employers with at least five employees. It protects employees against discrimination and harassment based on many characteristics, including race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion.

If you experience a hostile work environment, you can:

• Report it to your employer
• Submit a written complaint to the appropriate authority at your company. If your employer has a harassment policy, then follow the procedure outlined in it.
• File a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD)
• If going to HR doesn't help, you can file a complaint with the CRD within three years. The CRD will investigate and try to resolve the issue. You can also request a “right-to-sue” letter from the CRD to file a lawsuit.
• Document the behavior. Keep a record of the actions meant to create a hostile workplace. 
• Save any evidence of the hostile work environment, such as emails, texts, voicemails, screenshots, notes, or letters.

So Let's Talk About Some Things That Can Create A Hostile Work Environment for Volunteers. 

So let's talk about what would justify someone having the "Never Again Volunteer Yourself" attitude in the civilian world where, unlike being in the military, you can quit anytime you feel the need to do so. 

And please, don't get me wrong. While I'm all for citizens volunteering, people should recognize that volunteering and joining a volunteer group has its issues. Some of these issues become roadblocks to volunteering. Some of these issues push people to quit and say to hell with it because they don't need the hassles. 

For example, no one should put up with someone who has attacked a volunteer over his religion, who has attacked another volunteer over her medical condition, all while attacking another volunteer over his time restrictions and availability.   

Here are a few things to think about: 

Tension between paid employees and unpaid volunteers

• There can be resentment that creates an undercurrent of tension between paid employees and unpaid volunteers. 
• Some paid employees see volunteers as taking their jobs. 
• Some paid employees see untrained volunteers as a hazard waiting to happen.
• Some paid employees see untrained volunteers as "just getting in the way" and of no real importance.
• Some paid employees have no idea why the volunteers are there or what they do.
• On the flip side, some volunteers act as though their needs should be as important a priority as that of the paid employees. 
• Some volunteers will wrongly demand they be treated as equals to highly trained/paid employees.
• Some volunteers create tension and are responsible for how volunteers are looked upon unfavorably.

Animosity within a Volunteer Group

• The animosity between volunteers negatively affects the mission of the volunteer group.
• The animosity between volunteers negatively affects the purpose of the group.
• There may be animosity and resentment toward volunteers in supervisory positions.
• Some volunteers bicker and demonstrate that they're unable to get along with others. 
• Some volunteers create dissension, tension, and strife while stirring up resentment within an organization.
• Some volunteers enjoy creating division.
• Some volunteers create an undercurrent of tension between volunteers. 
• Some volunteers creates division by pressuring others to be non-cooperative with supervisors.
• Some volunteers will foster work sabotage to make sure another fails just so they will be promoted.

Group dynamics.

• Cliques form among various subgroups of volunteers.
• Cligues cause dissension in the ranks.
• Cliques may decide to shun the rules and operate outside of the rules.
• Cliques may decide to create their own standards and practices.
• Cliques might operate as though organizational rules and regulations don't apply to them.

Personality conflicts among volunteers.

• There are harmful, extremely stressful, volunteer-to-volunteer relationships. 
• Some volunteers have a sense of superiority. 
• Some volunteers may be less than welcoming to newcomers.
• Some new volunteers want to immediately change things.
• Some new volunteers demand others agree with what they say. 

Personality problems

• Problems arise with "Volunteer Know It Alls."
• Volunteer negativity festers and grows.
• Some volunteers are so negative that they refuse to find positive solutions to problems.
• Some volunteers become angry over a lack of recognition.
Some volunteers spread dissent and dissatisfaction if they are not promoted.
• Some volunteers demand awards and recognition.
• Some volunteers feel a sense of "entitlement." 
• Some volunteers demand to be treated special.
• Some volunteers refuse to respect others.  
• Volunteer intimidation is something that no one needs to put up with.
• Condescension from volunteers is something that no one needs to experience. 
• Some volunteers enjoy demoralizing and demotivating others.
• Volunteer hatred for one another makes volunteering horrible.
• Simple dislikes of one another and personality clashes take place.
• Volunteers do not automatically work well together or even like each other. 

Varying Differences, Petty Politics, and Dealing with Demands

• Some volunteers have difficulty complying with the rules of a group.
• Some volunteers may attack a volunteer's disability status. 
• Some volunteers are against working with volunteers of other religions. 
• Some volunteers refuse to accept how different cultures have varying understandings of what constitutes appropriate behavior, particularly regarding gender interactions, which can lead to a clash over the one-size-fits-all standards that some see as being forced upon people today.
• Volunteers may falsely accuse other volunteers of things concerning their religious beliefs while not knowing the truth. 
• Volunteers may falsely accuse other volunteers of performing socially unacceptable behavior such as bullying, discrimination, using offensive language, being racist, being verbally abusive, nose-picking, standing too close to others, not bathing regularly, or using bad manners. 
• Volunteers may falsely accuse another volunteer of threatening behavior because he or she is talking loudly.
• Volunteers may file false accusations of sexual harassment against other volunteers for various reasons, including misunderstandings, personal vendettas, or malicious intent. 
• Some volunteers may not understand how what may be seen as sexual harassment today for one person is the cultural norm for another.
• Some volunteers refuse to accept generational differences, people speaking foreign languages, ethnic groups, or the cultural practices and beliefs of other volunteers. 
• Some volunteers in unconventional lifestyles such as in a gay relationship may have discomfort with volunteers in traditional lifestyles. 
• Some volunteers may not accept how others live and demand they change their ways to adhere to today's sensitivities. 
• Some volunteers may not accept modern sensitivities and/or how some people identify, dress, appear to others, and behave in public. 

And yes, volunteers who've experienced any of the above quickly learn that volunteering can be anything other than enjoyable. And really, don't fool yourself into thinking these things don't exist or wouldn't be roadblocks to volunteering. These are roadblocks and do stop people from volunteering. These things can make volunteers quit volunteering altogether. And frankly, I don't blame them. 

Of course, sadly for volunteers, we don't learn a lot about a group until we've already committed ourselves to volunteering for that group. As sad as it is, I know what I'm talking about since I've experienced a lot of what I've listed above for myself. 

Because of the terrible experience I've had volunteering, I'm a lot more cautious about sticking with an organization. Today, if I feel as though there is simply too much backstabbing, way too much petty politics, too much tension and hate, a hostile work environment that can't be fixed, I start looking for an exit.

Tom Correa