Volunteer Etiquette
You are volunteering at a food bank and notice a fellow volunteer taking food home without permission. What should you do?
report it to a supervisor
do not take matters into your own hands
Your boss gives you a task you don’t know how to do. What is the best course of action?
Ask for clarification or training instead of guessing
A new volunteer is struggling with their task. How can you help
Offer guidance or introduce them to a supervisor for further assistance
You have a shift at your volunteer job and an important school project due the next day. How do you manage your time?
plan ahead, prioritize tasks, and communicate with both parties if necessary
A coworker asks you to lie to your manager and say they’re sick when they just want a day off. What do you do?
refuse and suggest they speak honestly with the manager
A senior citizen at the nursing home asks for help reading a letter, but you’re busy. How do you respond?
kindly let them know I’ll be with them shortly
ask another volunteer for help
Your coworker keeps interrupting you while you work, making it hard to concentrate. How do you handle this?
politely let them know I need to focus and suggest talking during breaks
A coworker disagrees with your idea for a project. How can you handle this professionally?
listen to their perspective, find a compromise, or involve a supervisor if needed
You realize you accidentally double-booked yourself for work and a volunteer shift. What should you do
inform one of the supervisors as soon as possible and try to find a replacement if needed
A friend asks you to clock them in at work when they’re running late. How should you respond
refuse and explain that it’s dishonest and could get both of us in trouble
You arrive at a volunteer event, but there are more volunteers than needed. What should you do?
Check with the coordinator to see if help is still needed or offer to assist in another way
A customer at your part-time job is being rude and yelling at you. What should you do?
stay calm, listen, and involve a manager if necessary
A team member is not responding to group chat messages about a project. What should you do
check in with them personally and ask if they need help or clarification
You’re late for work because of traffic. What should you do
call ahead to inform my boss and leave earlier next time
You see a volunteer ignoring the rules and breaking safety guidelines. What should you do?
report the issue to a supervisor to ensure everyone stays safe
You signed up to volunteer at an animal shelter, but you realize you’re allergic to pet hair. What’s the best course of action
inform the volunteer coordinator and ask if there are alternative tasks available
You are asked to stay late at work, but you have an important test the next morning. What should you do?
let my supervisor know I have a prior commitment and ask if someone else can cover
Your volunteer team is struggling to meet a deadline. What can you do?
What is delegate tasks, encourage teamwork, and ask for extra help if needed
Your work schedule suddenly changes, and it conflicts with an extracurricular activity. How do you handle this?
talk to my manager as soon as possible to see if adjustments can be made
A coworker is gossiping about another employee and wants you to join in. How do you respond?
avoid participating and change the subject to something positive
A volunteer task you’re assigned to makes you uncomfortable. How should you handle this situation
Politely express my concerns to the supervisor and ask for a different task
Your coworker is not doing their share of work, and it’s making your job harder. How do you address this?
talk to them directly in a respectful way, or bring it up to a manager if it continues
You and a coworker are assigned to the same project but have very different working styles. How do you make it work?
discuss expectations early, divide tasks based on strengths, and maintain open communication
You are given a last-minute task at work, but you already have several other responsibilities. How do you manage?
prioritize tasks based on urgency and discuss workload with a supervisor if needed
You notice a coworker taking money from the cash register. What should you do?
report it to a manager or supervisor instead of confronting them directly