We Get It, You're Rich - Slate

[justaprogressive]

At a time when many Americans are struggling with rising costs of living and worries about their households’ financial stability, many corporate executives are making it clear that they have no idea what life is like for their employees.

At my work advice column Ask a Manager, I regularly hear accounts of out-of-touch executives who have alienated large portions of their workforce via clueless displays of wealth at the exact same time that they’re laying off employees, increasing health insurance costs, or otherwise squeezing their workers. To wit:

“My spouse’s large, local employer was failing, pretty spectacularly. Many, many people in the community had purchased stock (and were watching the stock prices tumble). During the week of another round of layoffs, the relatively new CEO had her brand-new luxury vehicle delivered to the main office (which was nearly all windows). It was unloaded right out front in the fire lane, while employees watched.”

“Years ago, our director started our department meeting by talking about his vacation, how nice his vacation home is, blah, blah, blah. On the same day, I was notified that my pay was cut 30 percent and others were laid off.”

https://slate.com/life/2025/03/rich-boss-manager-employee-bad-wealthy-layoffs-meeting.html