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.

I think the OP is more upset that the boss not being sensitive to people's situation.
Not much you can do though because it's not a valid complaint.
More of an annoyance of lack of awareness.

😂

You and your colleagues need to grow up.

Go to HR and you will find that you and your colleagues are the ones in trouble. Talking about your boss behind her back, complaining about her clothes etc. very poor behaviour and frankly bullying.

Jeez. Let the woman spend her money the way she wants to.

How can you police where she buys her clothes from? It's crazy!

And FYI you do get what you pay for. I've had to throw away £5 shoes from primark after one season but my ferragamos and pradas are still around after 15 years.

I suspect it's because apparently the 'whole team' are the kind of people who think they will get a result from complaining to HR that someone else owns and uses nice things.

No wonder the company didn’t want to consider you for this fantastic well-paid role. You spend your time at work googling the cost of other people’s belts and moaning that people with more money can buy things you can’t. You’re childish as well as miserable.

How odd. A whole group of workers who can't cope when faced with a colleague who earns more than they do in a senior role. How do you all manage in the world?

I'm really not being funny about this, but I doubt I would notice. I wouldn't recognise a genuine piece of expensive designer stuff if it jumped up and bite me. I certainly wouldn't envy their ability to buy such stuff.

This gets worse 🙄. Thanks for cheering me up OP. What an rntertaining read, this has been 😅

I'd better tell my HR my boss needs to sell his Audi and buy a Toyota as that's all I can afford to drive.

So your friend is being disingenuous then. Its OK for her to buy a flashy ring, but only wear it/not wear it to appease. If she felt that moralistic, she wouldn't be wearing flashy stuff, full stop. That also applies to PP, who said she removes her engagement ring for work. Fake people.

This is hilarious! Everyone is missing the point?! Maybe nobody agrees with you, because you are being ridiculous?

Even if she wasn't earning a 6 figure salary, her husband might be earning a 7 figure salary, allowing her to have these items.
Or another scenario... she could be on the same salary as you, but completely mortgage free / have inheritance, allowing her to wear these things. How would you feel about it then? You couldn't complain to HE for tang

That

This has to be one of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read.

One of my colleagues and her DH chose not to have kids or pets to facilitate a wealthy lifestyle, and wears very xxy designer pieces and goes on amazing high end holidays and we drool over the pictures. It’s not inappropriate of her and why should she come in non-designer stuff and pretend she is going on another budget holiday? Wearing this stuff makes her happy, and she can, so that’s fine.

Another colleague drips money, parents alive but has a super family trust fund. I think it’s fantastic that instead of sitting on a couch staring at a wall knowing you never have to work and still be very well provided for, she is with us working her arse off like everyone else. She just does it in amazing designer stuff, with an incredibly high end car and also goes on full lux holidays I could only ever dream of. None of that is inappropriate and I could never imagine any of us even thinking like OP let alone going to HR to complain about it to get her to come in budget clothes and an average car and never talk about holiday plans.

The OP and workmates have serious issues they need to work through, none of which involve the manager!

It seems strange that she earns 4 times more than the people she manages directly. In my experience there isn't usually such a big jump between your and your line manager. Something seems amiss in the pay structure. Are there special features of her job that require such a relatively differentiated salary? Does she perhaps have a huge number of reports?You might discuss the pay structure with HR to know why such a big difference in pay between an operative and direct line manager. If her job is just one step up from yours, I also don't see why none of the team would be considered.

But you're not really.

You've been asked several times but never responded. Why have none of you been promoted or given pay rises or worked towards those?

I've worked with and have the displeasure of managing your type.
Big chip on your shoulder, us against them, crabs in the pot mentality, and not all that good at your job.

I believe OP stated she is a department head, not a line manager.

God OP your post reek of jealousy! And yes your whole team are jealous as well.

So what that she wears designer clothes? I'll never understand why people say 'I can barely afford to heat my home but she buys designer clothes' an example like that.
Why is it on this woman's shoulders that you can't afford something but she can?

I'm sure the other way round if you could afford expensive clothes you would buy them!

If your that bothered go to uni get a qual and find a better job.
If not then shut up!

I haven’t misread or misunderstood your post @Mandarinthyme

I just don’t agree with you.

In what way is she 'flaunting' it though... shes wearing clothes.

If simply wearing clothes = flaunting them, I really don't see what you expect her to do - what if she doesn't HAVE any other suitable work wear? I know I only have a couple of suitable 'work' items for outside the house - if you asked me to change those ALL, immediately, I would struggle..

You have a tiny portion of the information - what salary her job was advertised at, and the clothing she wears.

You have none of the details and very few facts - and all she is doing is wearing nice clothes!

If she is walking around the office slagging off other peoples clothing or telling everyone how fabulous her Manolos are and why on EARTH isn't everyone wearing them they're so comfortable dahhhhhhhhling... then yes you might have an issue for HR... it still wouldn't be her clothes, it would be her behaviour.

Nothing you've said so far suggests she is actually rubbing anyones nose in anything, she's just wearing clothes.

Btw do you work in a knicker factory and is your boss called Carla... mmm!

I actually see where you are coming from. I know that realistically you cannot tell someone what to wear, if is in keeping with the company dress code. However, I did a temporary role where I got paid more. I never discussed money or said that I having financial woes near payday etc. I agree that it is insensitive and rather tone deaf at the moment when so many are struggling.

I would bet money what happened is that HR told them people were moaning. Told her it was ridiculous but asked her to not mention her Range Rover just to shut people up. And they will have had a laugh about it.

HR are not going to set out rules that you can only talk about your car if it’s worth less than X. Or tell them they can’t buy car over a certain amount. Or not talk about new houses in certain areas. Or what brands they can wear or price brackets for items.

I just can't ever imagine caring to this level about what someone else wears, I don't think I'd even notice. You need to focus on your own life and not worry about what others are doing otherwise you will never be happy. In life there will always be people better of then you and worse of then you, just focus on you.

What a spiteful ,vicious and nasty post
Feel sorry for her working in such a bitchy environment