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.

These may be gifts, you have no idea

If OP IS getting busy, I hope that they don’t spaff on their boss’s clothes.

They are BOUND to be dry clean.

Go on. Raise it

There are mum's doing the school run in range rovers, new Audi's and even a Subaru (my dream car) 😠 I think I'll start a petition with the head to force them all to walk instead, or buy old bangers just for the school run so I don't feel bad about my crappy car I can barely afford to keep on the road....

JFC 🙄

Absolute bonkers

Go concentrate on getting yourself a better paid job

Yes your whole team is jealous and I suspect you are all feeding off each other.
if multiple people complained to HR about my clothes and accessories being too expensive and my nails and hair being done and I got wind of it I would be complaining to HR about bullying in the workplace. I can just imagine you all sitting around bitching about her.

I am on UC, but I have a Alexander McQueen scarf thing from a better time in my life.
I might wear it when I meet another friend who is also on benefits... to rub it in. She wont know what it is, and wont care. OP looking up the brand of belt her boss is wearing is weird.
HR need not be involved here...more like Occupational Health for OP.

I understand your frustration that some people are wealthy while others really struggle, but she isn't doing anything wrong.

What would you expect HR to say to her?
"Please do not wear designer handbags or jewellery to work? Oh and stop getting your nails done"

Oh the audicity!

No shit Sherlock!

Apparently the op of this thread is wanking, unconfirmed but big if true

Is she insensitive? Probably, yes.

Is it a HR matter? Actually, no.

Well I don't know about them but I've near gone blind here scrolling past all that ffs!

Yeah, OP. Make HR's day. HR will be bringing this up in anecdotes to their colleagues and friends over Christmas. They will dine on this for years.

You and your team will be a laughing stock.

Bet a well-dressed bloke as manager wouldn't have the whole team saying hateful things about him like this. Sexism.

If what she’s wearing isn’t unprofessional then HR aren’t going to make her change it just because it’s expensive.

I don’t like things with big designer labels etc. because I think flaunting money is a bit tacky (and also don’t have enough money to do it!) but it’s up to everyone to decide what they wear as long as it fits any workplace dress code and being tacky isn’t an HR issue.

You all apparently know her salary, forcing her to buy a whole new wardrobe of cheaper stuff just so you don’t get reminded of it is unreasonable.

As for whether you’re reasonable because the “whole team” feels that way - no. Often groups get a bee in their collective bonnet about things and it just escalates because people talk about it together rather than it being a passing thought. It’s totally understandable, I’ve definitely been in group dynamics like that but just because we all agreed doesn’t mean we were always right.

What an extraordinary post > have just read - ad nauseum.

@Mandarinthyme whilst I am old and the Director of my department, I agree with you. I simply wouldn't flaunt it. I am neat and tidy for work. I dress relatively well in mid priced ranges for work. I wouldn't dream of wearing anything expensive to work. I keep where I live dark, what DH does dark, where the DC went to school dark.

Yup. I agree

What kind of car does she drive to work? Let me guess, it’s a Range Rover or X5 kind of car and you all think she should swap it for a battered old Fiesta? 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣🤣

My life is dark too, can’t afford lightbulbs with the coat of living crisis. Hope you’re happy I’m triggered now. Going to stroke my support dog.. in the dark.

Surely not????

I worked with a woman whose father owned a good chunk of London commercial real estate. The family were serious rich old money. Her salary was pocket money. But damn she was brilliant at her job.

I wouldn’t want to be on four times what my team are on, but if she’s new she won’t have been able to influence that anyway, she saw an job, applied and got it.

Why not?