It is the mark of a strange employer to pay some of its employees millions each year but, when it decides to let them go, instruct them to leave the building rapidly, clutching their belongings.
Since the failure of Lehman Brothers in 2008, the scene we witnessed on Monday at Deutsche Bank in London, New York and Hong Kong has become familiar. It was regarded internally as evidence of rare humanity that Deutsche’s departing equity traders and sales people were permitted to remain in its London headquarters for three hours before being ejected.
Some displayed signs of distress but many of them adjourned to a nearby pub, having anticipated that their days at the bank were numbered. That is what you come to expect if you work on the trading floor of any global investment bank — the last ticket you sign is the one with your pay-off.