Should bankers receive bonuses?

kunekune

BTW, I haven't voted because it is a stupid poll. The answers are all skewed towards a particualar p.o.w.

innovate

Yes, but only paid retrospectively, once long-term gains are realised.

I do well understand the difference between the executive ranks that rake in several hundred thousands or even millions of pounds of bonus money, and the masses that are on low, sometimes even paltry salaries, and no or piddly bonuses. This makes no difference at all, however, what I think about bonus payments.

It is IMO an absolute abomination if anyone, regardless of what industry they are working in, is crying out for a bonus unless they can demonstrate that they have added value to the customers. A bank teller who pesters me for a review of my finances every time I come to do a transaction at the counter is, frankly, not adding any value to me and is getting up my nose. Now I know they are being asked to pester me, so it isn't really their fault if they annoy me, but annoy me they do nonetheless, and I do not want them to get a bonus for this.

I am also quite incensed by those people who don't seem to realise why they still are in employment right now, regardless of where they sit in the hierarchy. And by those who think everything can continue as before for them. There are thousands of people whose banking shares are literally worthless, thousands whose income from their savings has toppled to less than a third, and collectively the people of this country (and others around the world) have had to take on massive debts . It seems to be alright in some people's views that those people saw the value of their property slump, whilst at the same time people in banks just continue to get the same as before. There has got to be a fundamental change, not only in the bonus culture.