Deutsche Banks Staff to wait for bonuses to make sure senior execs get more money.

The top executives at Deutsche have never liked the "Anglo-Saxon" bonus system. Yes, I know that Saxony is in Germany, but when you're as (self) important as Deutsche board director you have someone to do geography for you.

They want "multi year" bonuses for non-board staff, ie nearly everyone.

I don't think any of us really think they'd approve a scheme that left them out of pocket.

It may come as news to some here that board level executives are on totally different bonus schemes from their staff. What we are seeing here is of course what economists call "agency theory". IE managers enriching themselves at the expense of shareholders and more junior staff.

Let us step through how this will work. In the first year, your bonus drops hard, but you get told that your money "is safe, and to be 'patient'" It's hard to quit at this point because you now have been forced to invest your money in the bank at zero interest. Second year, more money gets sucked out of your pocket, but it's gone, not coming back. Then 'something' happens, and you get told that because a different department screwed up bonuses are low, so you get little to nothing.

Let us not pretend that the system by which you get your hands on your bonus money will be less opaque than alread,y with the extra complication that DB executives can manipulate the timing of payouts to make their own separate bonus scheme pay them well.

Also, there is tax, which of course Deutsche board members will let you know "is your problem". Since you pay is now more lumpy, you get to pay more at higher rates.

Try paying your mortgage with money that isn't there, see how far you get.

In British English, we have the phrase "there it was, gone"

So let us look at the ways your money can evaporate without trace. If a bank hits real trouble, you aren't a secured debtor. Indeed the idea would be seen as hilarious by the Deutsche board members if you happened to mention it on the golf course to them. Bear Stearns can die, so can Deutsche.

If Deutsche decided it does not need you any more, do you really think that your accrued bonus will be given to you without a fight, if at all ?

If you decide to leave, your bonus drops to somewhere between a joke and a rumour. Also you get hit harder on your choice of where to move to. This is in several parts. It is vastly more expensive for another firm to buy out your bonus, and of course if Deutsche does not like where you are going to, you have paid for them to have a much bigger stick.