To think this is terrible behaviour from manager when I’m helping out voluntarily?

[MelMar1]

Can’t go into too put detail as it’s too specific, and want to keep this anonymous obviously. I offered to help my manager with some extra work that has a deadline for clients. I offered voluntarily as they’ve had a tough time recently, and I felt I could help. So bear with me as I can’t go specific. But to help with the work, they gave me access to our entire server to help me with the calculations I needed. I accidentally deleted a file but restored it.

I told them, to be honest and not hide anything. They acted really off with me and said ‘but you’d no need to be in that file section’ and basically said they’d change my access, to just the material I needed. But now I’m limited in what I need to do the work tomorrow, as with the restricted access, it’s taking me ages to find what I need. I should add none of the data is confidential or anything. Idk why they’re annoyed. AIBU to say to them, I can’t do the work without the proper access? Frustrating too since I’m doing it voluntarily, in my spare time to help out!

dont volunteer to do extra in your spare time. It doesn't help you, it doesn't help them, and it certainly doesn't help your colleagues.

The very definition of no good deed goes unpunished.

Do what you can and don't spend more time than you originally estimated it would take. Then at earliest opportunity tell your manager that as you haven't had full access to the data, you have done X & Y and haven't been able to complete Z.

And write yourself a note - next time don't offer to help managers to their job!

Were they right, that you shouldn't have been in that file section?

Might they be worried that you are looking at things you shouldn't be looking at, or that they'll be in trouble for giving you unrestricted access, or that you offered to help in order to gain access, or even just feel a bit worried that a file was almost deleted and could have caused a big problem?

Why on earth would you agree to work for free? YABU for agreeing to that

Regarding the file

1. why were you hear that file if it wasn’t something relevant to you?
2. How did you accidentally delete it?

I’d just tell them you can’t help anymore

Just email them every time you need access to a file.

‘Can you send me xxx file’
’Can you grant access to this folder’

remember that if all had gone well i.e. you’d helped to bring the work up to date for them you’d have heard no more about it- they’d most likely have let everyone think they’d done it themselves

1. If it’s client data, it’s confidential data.
2. with confidential data there must always be a principle of least privilege. They slipped up by giving you universal access and luckily your mistake flagged it.
3. you have access to the data you need.
4. how is it terrible of a manager to expect you to do the job you volunteered to do?
5. don’t volunteer for something if it only suits you to do it in ways that will be against company policy.

you should not persevere and take 5 times as long to do the same thing, that’s for sure. Send them a note saying this is taking much longer with limited access, I can’t search to find the things I need. I don’t think it works that I help on this task if it has to be with this restricted access, you need someone who has full access.

They are just trying to protect the system. Just ask for access to the bits you need or don’t bother doing the job.

When you say you volunteered do you mean you are coming in extra hours unpaid? In which case if the working conditions no longer suit you, then stop.

Or are you doing this in your usual working hours for your regular salary? In which case this is really just a variation to your usual duties - one you volunteered for.

This exact situation happened to someone I know. They seemed to have no realisation of the possible ramifications if they accidentally deleted other parts of the system, or if they deleted things that couldn't be replaced. They saw their limited access as an unfair punishment. Their employer saw it as a necessary safeguard.

Doing unpaid hours or not, you contract terms and work policies still apply.
How did you accidentally delete this file and were you looking at it in the course of your work, or just being nosey?

We all make mistakes @MelMar1 You restored it, but doing something to a doc you dont need to look at sounds suspicious even if it was in all innocence, so your manager is right to feel that way. The mistake is with you, own it.

Anyways, it sounds like the access you now have is too restrictive, so why are you on here versus telling your manager? None of us can help you.

YABU