Funny story from the week gone by.
So we are in our annual salary review period on the job and we are coming off a pay freeze thing that has lasted 2 or 3 years. So I have noticed a lot of decent watches disappearing to be replaced by argos casios & cycle computers and the like. Blokes are trying to hide their bling.
So far I have seen a;
Date Sub swapped for a casio
Explorer swapped for an awful looking cycle computer
IWC Pilot swapped for a battered Timex
My Explorer II is at home for the CWC G10 (but thats pretty common anyway TBH, just more common now !)
Anyone seen this nonsense before ?
Of course theres loads of good ones still about, particularly date Subs, they seem very common where I work. Then one of the young lads tells me hes taking delivery of a nearly new BM 640d next week (costing him £70k). No shame.
I'm sure that in the unlikely and unprofessional event the decision makers were watch aware, they'd have clocked (excuse the pun) what everybody wears along time before now. You would really hope theres more to a pay rise than their opinions on your wrist wear.
My question is on the 640d, bmw have been hammering lease deals on these for 499+vat pm with a 499 deposit. Surely you'd lease at these costs rather than get murdered on the depreciation of these things.
Maybe he's full of pap !Originally Posted by TimeThoughts
He should be able to get some discount on that if he pays cash.
But not anywhere near to what discounts BMW is offering for leasing in the last years...
tell me thats not true, 499 p/m with a 499 deposit?
i need to move to the uk
That is a very nice deal for 640d.. is this across the UK or any special deal by a group of dealers..
Yep I am a Accountant who has had no pay rise in 12 years , when I recently complained about the downgrade of Company car I was told at least I have 6 watches ! (which I had acquired over a working career of 37 years!)....what the!
Wish I hadn't shared my love of watches and stuck to wearing just the one!
I purchased a Sea Dweller recently, but as we are in a similar annual review period, I've decided for the time being not to wear it at work and have just bought a Seiko 5 for days that I'm in the office.
http://content.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/digit...offers?sbId=22
http://content.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/digit...offers?sbId=22
Last edited by Dave+63; 21st February 2015 at 17:02.
To the OP - no never seen this nonsense before.
All our managers are overseas (US) so we wear what we like. Anyway the bonus are arranged well before the announcement.
Most of the people I work with wouldnt know the difference between watches. Wouldn't make a difference for me if they did. My bonus (and I suspect it won't be huge in comparison to many) is all based on company commercial objectives and my contribution to them
Seems daft - do they start driving an old wreck to work?
Sad reflection of today's society.
I confess to doing this too. The senior engineers/managers all have bi-metal Rolex and when I wear something big and gold like the VC or IWC PC, it gets noticed when all we talk about is cost cutting.
I am definitely wearing the more subtle pieces to work at the moment!!
My boss is a total bastard, pays me just over London living wage. Fortunately he is a watch nerd. So that helps.
Just another example of how people make judgements about others based on their appearance.
Some of the more obvious luxury watch brands will attract judgements about the wealth of the wearer.
I'm not surprised some people choose to be more subtle when reviews are done.
i really dont get how you choose to spend your disposable income impacts on your bonus
and if it does, leave and go somewhere sensible
I think theres a bit of human nature in this, if Im honest with myself. Even for me (as the OP), if one of the lads working for me had a £6k watch on him around the plant and a £70k car outside Id find it hard to put my heart and soul into pushing for his payrise. Where I work is paid quite well (in relation to comparable industries) so none of us are likely to up sticks and leave.
I know everything should be solely based on performance but you cant help yourself, especially where you have to fight for payrises for people.
Maybe if your working in the city amongst serious high earners trinkets are just taken for granted and people can see beyond them ?
I do something similar when facing clients and choose one of my more 'austere' watches. I think wearing a Patek in meetings might result in a quick brokerage cut. Especially since most people in finance are very status conscious and know their cars/watches etc.
I normally opt for my IWC Mark 15 or Omega Speedy as something smart but subtle. My colleague does the opposite and wears one of his ROO including the Ginza model. Bling Bling.
Mmmm - Got my review next week, better dig out that Lorus
M.
Agree. That's a pretty awful scenario and I'm glad I'm a long way away from it. If it is human nature, it's one that needs eradicating. People who decide on levels of pay and bonus not on performance but on how much they think people need are bad managers, who should be fired.
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
OK cool, sorted then, right?
Envy is a powerful tool and when you have a nicer stuff than your boss (who perhaps prioritises something else), how hard are they going push for you to get paid more or keep your job?
you are working for the wrong person then, if thats really the case, vote with your feet
I agree with this. It's human nature.
Resigning over something like this as some are suggesting seems like utter madness to me. If that's the worst thing about your job/boss then count yourself lucky and stay put!
i think you are misunderstanding me,
what i'm saying is, if you don't get the payrise, bonus you feel you are entitled to, and you believe that its somehow impacted by this, then you have the option to resign.
if you don't get the payrise or bonus you feel you deserve for any reason, you can always resign,
you aren't in a lifetime contract with anyone
I do something similar,
fortunately i work in an industry where casual dress is the norm, so i just take it to the extreme and turn up to work looking like a hobo (more so than usual), and leave anything Rolexy at home.
Envy is a terrible thing, as is the constant "who has what" competition.
Got asked in a review once if a certain new car in the carpark was mine, only because it's a vague relation to my money pit, which i now keep at home since i've been walking to work for a few years.
Fortunately it was in a jokey context, but it did make me stop and think.
It is of course ridiculous that your appearance or any show of wealth should impact your review.
A watch could be a gift or an inheritance and as such has no bearing on your wealth or level of pay ... BUT most companies will only pay the minimum it takes to retain staff; people will make all sorts of assessments about you and your appearance is part if that ... even if it is subconscious ...
You shouldn't have to moderate your appearance; in a professional environment I doubt it is necessary but in many employment situations, especially in a small business context a show of wealth may not help your pay review; particularly if you can't easily walk to another role ...
I don't think these sort of things should change your bonus/pay but I have seen/heard examples of "he is alright he has a Porsche" when talking about people so I could see how it would go against you in terms of being perceived as less "needy" however you had acquired such items.
It could be - but if that's the general attitude of the people you have to work with, then it's unlikely to be isolated and is probably the least of your worries, not the most. Firms do not engage in social engineering. If you think you are poorly paid because someone somewhere has decided to be the arbiter of who deserves what based not on abilities or contribution but arbitrarily perceived wealth, then you owe if at least to your family to get the hell out of Dodge. Then again, most firms (and the media) now spend their days trying to frighten people witless into staying, by downplaying economic outlook and driving fear at every opportunity - all of which reduces their recruitment costs, and leads to stagnation and no badly-needed transformation of productivity. It should be their loss, not yours, and bad managers should be exposed.
Unless you're a bad manager, of course - in which case, you're shit, and you know you are ;).
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
Be careful about 'dressing down'. They may decide you don't need a bonus if you're happy enough with cheap stuff
Yeah sure, it's really that simple.
I work at the only oil company in West London, have a 3rd floor view across the whole city am 35mins from home; you really think I should quit and work in Aberdeen, Luanda or Nairobi because I have a nicer watch than my boss and he doesn't like it?
Get real :)
Just so. It's a perception thing. People are being let go here left, right and centre. Who needs the job more, the fat northern lad next to me with the Citizen watch and driving a Kia or 'posh' me with my big gold IWC and the Aston in the car park?
The answer is both of us need it equally, I just have some toys from when I worked the ex-pat life... But perception is that I'm loaded and he's skint.
It's the fact I only know I'm superior in my taste that makes it stealthy :)
People usually do not know the brands I wear, or think they are cheap, which is a good thing.
I only respect people who buy with knowledge, not with big wallets, because that's easy.
But having said that, working at my level, in my job, these are really non issues..........
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Afaik, it works the opposite way. The better you dress, the better the chances are for a pay rise. Not that I follow this rule - except for my watches, I dress like a bum.
I distinctly remember an example of a 'he is allright' scenario a few years ago working badly against a lad;
There were 3 contract engineers, all good blokes in a department. One had to be left go as a big project was winding down and I remember a canteen discussion where the lad who drove a fine car, was off to cheltenham next month and had no kids would 'find it least hard' outside the gate.
I didnt agree then or now with that but I didnt argue at that time, I said nothing really. Perception is a bitch.
ok, but if you aren't prepared to leave then no point complaining about it is there?
All a bit too 80's for me. I'm no hippy but judging people by their possessions takes me back to my days in red braces and big suits. I don't miss any of it!
I doubt it makes much difference but my own instinct would be the other way - I'd make sure I had something ostentatious on for that "this isn't the sort of guy we can get away with paying £XXXXX a year for much longer" effect.
I'm reminded of Alan B'Stard's speech in the Commons on the lower classes not needing a pay rise because they'd only spend it on oven chips and satellite dishes ..
Unreal lol....personally, I have yet to see any teachers with a Rolex on! Although I know of a couple of headteachers/principal teachers with one.
Don't think I complained? Simply agreed with the OP!!
So, you don't work for the bishop of Westminster then?
Nobody has a clue what any of my watches are anyway... I just get asked to source nice ones for people who work with me..!
Got my review on Friday... So, will SC go mad In March? I get paid mid month, so, will get in ahead of a few of you!
A decent manager/boss shouldn't take your watch into consideration when talking sallery... just ridiculous.
Where it loud and where it proud. If your ability is judged by your boss based on a watch then he has no idea of your worth (assuming your worth something). Tell him to stick his job if he doesn't give you what you are worth - simples!
Indeed so - though it's not clear if you're being screwed over because your boss doesn't like your bling. You need to ask him, he'll never tell you because it would admit prejudiced incompetence of course.
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
£70k for a nearly new 640d! Oh really.
Again, I am not being screwed over by my boss.
He is a interested in watches and wears a bi-metal GMT his wife bought him so for 'political reasons' it's the only watch he owns and for a lot of the time in meetings, he stares at my wrist. Will it colour his perception of me, probably as he knows the value of these things. If you can drop £20k on watch, do you need a pay rise..?
Today I am wearing a tiny 70s quartz Seiko, he almost looked disappointed! :)
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When you get a job in the real world, let me know :)
Of course it's ridiculous. But perception is important when weighing up decisions. People shouldn't lose out on jobs because of facial piercings or tattoos but to suggest this doesn't happen is willful thinking or naivety.
Should it happen, no. Does it happen, yes. It's a game, there are stupid rules, you can choose to play or not. Toning down what watch I wear during a period of hard times and cost cutting in my industry is hardly a reason to 'vote with my feet' and walk out.
Unfortunately are you right
no one said that,
i said if you feel your pay rise / bonus doesnt reflect what you should get, then you should be prepared to leave
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