In thinking my manager is hugely insensitive for wearing these things into work?

[Mandarinthyme]

Our department head is very young and glamorous and is fairly new to the company. We know her salary range as it was stated alongside the job advert (a six figure salary whilst the rest of the team are lucky to earn a quarter of that). Every day she swans in to the office like she’s dressed for the catwalk, different designer handbags (the very obvious types - think Gucci, LV etc), Rolex watch, Cartier bracelets, designer belts and shoes. Not to mention the perfect nails, hair and everything else that we just cannot afford these days.

Meanwhile our large team is underpaid and overworked. The recent financial climate means many of us are struggling to heat our homes, worrying about mortgage/rental price hikes and generally having to really cut back. We are all office based and this is something we talk about frequently in conversation, so she’s completely aware of this. She’s previously had the cheek to say that we are all feeling the pinch given the financial situation, which is an absolute insult when she rubs her wealth in our faces 5 days a week.

AIBU in feeling completely incensed by this and wondering how on earth she can think it’s appropriate?! The whole team are upset with this and considering raising it with HR.

Thank you, this is exactly what I’m getting at

Surely grown adults aren’t really this silly? She’s earns more than you and is perfectly entitled to spend her money on whatever she wants. If that’s a Gucci belt then so be it.

Ffs, sausage fingers.

We had a couple of managers who were wealthy. Flash cars, expensive jewellery, designer shoes etc. Not sure where their money came from and not my business.

Except they were also the people telling us to suck up the lack of pay progression because times were hard.
They were also the managers harassing staff for supporting industrial action, for being off sick and worrying about money etc etc

It's not necessarily jealousy it's expecting some sensitivity because if the workforce are genuinely having a tough time financially then it's crass to be flashing the Rolex around.

It's an in your face reminder that for some, the financial crisis means nothing because they're doing ok.

Well, she's not a girl, she's a woman. She's done well to get the job. No-one knows what her clothes cost her. Just let people dress how they like, I just can't see a problem.
Those LV bags are usually Knock off anyway. Why get agitated?

Purposefully choosing a cheaper car to fit in and be liked is really patronising
Its a fake gesture esp as the worker colleagues know the manager is well paid, but chosing to downplay the good salary. that is NOT good management or reading a room, it’s patronising

The owner of the last company I worked for did similar - very expensive cars, paid for his wife to give birth in an expensive private hospital, all the latest gadgets etc and amazing holidays. Obviously it was his company and without him I wouldn't have had the job, but thought he could have paid his staff better or not shown off so much at work about his wealth. I left as he was also a terrible boss!

Ridiculous. Will you provide a list of what she is / is not allowed to wear?

@Mandarinthyme Blowing out someone else's candle, doesn't make yours shine any brighter ya know!

Maybe work on your self esteem yeah???

It's important to give the troops something to aim for. Promotion should be aspirational.

I think the issue is jealousy and resentment

It’s not inheritance. She regularly mentions seeing her parents.

😆 op replying only to the TWO replies agreeing

Sockpockets alive and well !

I don't know how you can say you're not jealous, none of you would have a problem if you weren't. It would be really embarrassing to take to HR. I'm sure she's worked hard to get to where you are and in the work place there are always going to be people who earn a lot more, it's life.

People Skills? 😂😂

Come on you must be joking?

Grandparents? Aunt?

I can't believe someone mentioned wedding rings. I wear my wedding jewellery everywhere as it's a symbol of my marriage not my flashiness. It's not exorbitantly expensive but even if it was, it's a symbol of something else

I also have a gorgeous watch I love to wear, again not exorbitant. But on the other hand, I rarely go out,we don't drink or smoke.... This is about judgement of what people spend their money on. And generally that's no-one s business!

You work? You sound school age!!!

It really isn't an HR issue. It's potentially a management issue where the department head could be mentored about reading the room but that would be it.

Don't take your anger out on your dept head. I wouldn't spend my money on designer clothes and accessories but I'm not into fashion so you'd never see what I do spend my money on (and if you did, you may feel the same as you do now). I'd reserve my anger for the fact that your set up sounds really inequitable. One person being paid many times the salary of their team to oversee it, even if it is a large team.

To be honest unless she has a partner who earns the same as she does she won't have much in the bank at all if she spends it all on Cartier and Rolex.

Look I can see where the bad feelings come from and how it could seem like rubbing salt in wounds. But this is life. People will earn more than you and be able to afford nicer things than you. You can’t control what they do or wear. As long as she does her job well and is within dress codes of the worn place, it’s really not for you or HR to dictate what people wear to work.

instead of dwelling on it perhaps advocate for a pay rise or look for another, better paying job.

You also don’t know her situation. This could be what she spends her money on, or she could be in huge amounts of debt. You simply don’t know. Focus on your work.

Still waiting for OP to say what she wants HR to do.

Also I’m sorry but if people work hard and have had success in their work, why the hell shouldn’t they have nice things and enjoy those nice things?

Could be inherited from elsewhere.

I can see why it's annoying but I'm not comfortable saying people should dress a certain way at work because of money. Seems a bit mad.

if she wore Primark, someone would accuse her of being patronising.

Confiscate the LV bags, make a bonfire of the belts and stand around chanting.