To feel bad for the new employee at work

Exactly!

My ex colleague got wind of everyone’s finances. Who owned a home, how big, how much it was sold for, if rented - how much was the rent, pension details, holidays, cars….

It was a mix of asking the right questions and online stalking at people and their family members!

Don’t worry I left that workplace as quickly as I could.

I say this is on her. You can divulge finances or not. It's 100% a choice. It will always be seen as a flex.

Like that knob on Love Is Blind ( I forget his name but anyone who's seen it will know who I'm talking about).

You reap what you sow. She could have just said I'm in a one bedroom and parents helped me with the deposit. If people found out later that it was a 1.5, they'd have appreciated her wanting to appear humble. They might even have assumed her name brands were fake.

call it out. yes she's incredibly lucky, but privilege exists and that's life. some people have wealthy families and many don't. that's the reality of the world we live in.

unless she's using her finances as a stick to beat someone else with - and you've said she's not - then your colleagues need to grow up and shut up. inverse snobbery is pathetic.

My daughter goes to a school where there's quite an economical divide between the parents (not as extreme as you're describing but enough to be noticable iyswim) There's snobbery and inverse snobbery from a minor few. The rest are all just down to earth, want to do the school run with no drama and want their kids to get on with the other kids. Most of us couldn't care less whether it's a family who are sitting on millions that they inherited from a wealthy grandparent or a single parent living off housing benefit and tbh we just laugh at the people on both sides who do try to make an issue of it. There will be bitter and judgemental people in all walks of life. The only thing you can do is be inclusive and supportive to this girl and call out any blatant bullying. It sounds like she's got a few people who like her so if she sticks with them and keeps her nose clean she'll be fine. It's really decent of you to care so much and that makes you a credit to your workplace. Just remember though that you can't change the world.

No excuse for mistreating your colleague. However, as she matures she will hopefully learn to read the room a little better. There really isnt any need to show up to the office flaunting visible wealth. Nor does it need to 'come out' that she has had £2m property gifted to her. In fact unless she learns discretion she is putting herself at some risk of more than simply annoying people. With great privilege comes some responsibility, which to me means wearing that with sensitivity and humility. If she's bright she will figure this out. Meanwhile support her by being a friendly face and speaking out when others are spiteful. You may even want to remind your colleagues of the dignity at work policies.

I’m sure she has a wonderful family and friends outside work which will cushion her from any snidey sfhff happening in the office. I very much doubt she needs your pity. Just be nice and friendly and if anyone slags her off in your company tell them jealousy Isn’t attractive.

And yet 90% of the votes agree with the OP.

well she has now learned a lesson (there was a thread recently about someone being asked not to wear a Rolex at work, this is a similar situation in terms of how other people look at us)

Mentor her, and make it clear to the people who are talking about her that it is bullying, that if it doesn't stop it will be taken further. Maybe have a quick word with someone more senior, point out that it could also be seen as men ganging up on a young woman too.

Unfortunately it would happen even if they weren't from the top schools or Unis.
People can be jealous for all sorts of reasons.
She'll learn that Unfortunately, not everyone is rooting for you, even so called "friends".
This is the sort of thing you don't tell all and sundry, because you will be judged.

Unfortunately it's part of British culture to want to tear people down.

Get to know people first before disclosing your private life. No one needed to know this information.
Same as no one needs to know how much your car cost, your holidays etc.

She sounds intelligent, but not street smart. Hipe she doesn't end up with a
C-lodger at this rate.

Work wise, as others have said, call it out.
Do the 4 she gets along with say nothing too when gossipingis going on?

It really is wrong, but people are horribly jealous about money.
I've seen it in poorly paid jobs, if they think someone else is getting more privilege, money attention from the boss.

It's people who are unhappy with themselves who behave like this.

I am always really careful never to let anyone know my finacial position.Possibly a good lesson for this young lady to learn.If you were friendly enough with her you could possibly impart this information, to her.She needs to learn to keep her finacial affairs quiet, to herself.

While I agree that she shouldn’t be gossiped about… how does everyone know so much about her? It can only have come from her and if she has t got the sense to not mention things like being gifted a home then she needs to learn.
I have worked with people who didn’t need to work ( arts) and it can be hard to hear about their trust funds, holidays funded by parents, houses gifted etc…
She needs a bit of maturity. Or to realise that she needs to mindful that others aren’t anywhere near as privileged. In my experience many people like her are oblivious and still claim that they ‘worked’ really heard for their position…

I would imagine she was asked a leading question, not came out with it with no reason too.
Probably a deliberate one from her bullies to try and turn people against her too.

They are jealous; however someone should teach this young lady not to mention all her life, specially to colleagues, keep some things for herself. Noone needs to know everything or whether the apartment is a gift, mortgage free, etc.

Do you think she is a bit show off?

No doubt they are nice to her face. Honestly wht the heck does it matter what people own, it's character that counts. She sounds great to me. I doubt her unpopularity is some quarters bothers her, if she even notices; you say she is lovely and has made friends, you like her. They are only jealous anyway. That sort of resentment is highly unpleasant, I've seen it often and it's beyond me. The girl is a young person, she will face disappointments, illnesses, bereavement and other crises in life the same as anyone else. We are all human beings regardless of economic status. What good does it do anyone to have a chip on their shoulder because someone else seems more affluent? They're horrible but they are only hurting themselves with their poison. Sheesh.

It really gets on my nerves that people are so jealous when it comes to people’s good fortune. She deserves respect as if she’s apparently from such wealth at least she’s making an effort to forge her own career rather than live off presumably her parents’ fortune. Speaking as somebody who has no money, lives in a crap rented house and every month is a struggle financially-good for her!

If she’s old enough to be a graduate then she’s a woman. “Girl” makes her sound like a child (I edited this bit!)

Also, this work place sounds toxic. Clearly not enough work to do.

If people are gossiping to you - they’re usually gossiping about you too.

it came out that it is a graduation gift and mortgage free - probably worth nearing 2 million for a 1.5 bed. Really puts into perspective the wealth we are talking about here.
She wears expensive designer clothes and accessories everyday which also irritates some people.

The gossip certainly shouldn't be accepted in the workplace. However, either she's very naive and needs to learn some self-awareness, or she wants to draw attention to her wealth.

They're just jealous, obviously.

Next time it comes up: "It seems really weird how you discuss X constantly. What's that about?"

Or if they say something nasty, a "I'm sorry, what?" and making them repeat it, followed by a pause and a quiet "I thought that's what you said..." might just make them realise how dumb they sound.

But, respectfully, so what? You can muse about why people might resent one person’s privilege and not another’s on the internet all day. Yes, if you have a lot of Old Etonians in the workplace, they’ll either all know one another, or at least have some kind of old school tie type bond, so less likely to be individual targets. If you’re genuinely concerned about the situation, challenge it.

Who is actually doing the bitching about her privilege?

Yes, imagine this is not a new experience for her. She surely knows she will be a magnet for people liking other people's money. And envy. Perhaps secretly she likes it.

The gossiping needs to stop though. There isn't enough work to do, clearly.

I think that although it might be motivated by jealousy what you’re actually describing is bullying. It doesn’t matter of they’re jealous, in a workplace this kind of behaviour is not on. It should be addressed formally.

i probably came across like that myself, I was completely unaware. No doubt I robbed people up the wrong way.

Bit harsh- maybe she's asking for advice..

I'm sure she won't give 2 fucks about their jealously while she's enjoying her new pad. That's all it is, pure jealousy.