David Bolchover attacks fat cat salaries

Are top-earning employees worth their huge salaries? Not according to David Bolchover, a writer and speaker on management and the workplace.

He has recently published his third book, Pay Check (Coptic Publishing), which explores the workplace "myth" about talent and pay. Mr Bolchover, 43, spent 12 years working in the corporate world. He tells People: "There is a huge myth going on that bankers and senior employees should earn a lot because they have a special talent. This isn't true. "I'm for shareholders, and people who own these companies - which is you and me through our pensions savings - trying to stop these companies paying our pensions and savings to people who don't deserve it." He says: "I do feel strongly about it. I think we are being swindled by people who are gaining hugely financially by swindling us. They are becoming rich without taking any risks.

"I think it's fantastic when entrepreneurs take risks so their businesses become wealthy, but the idea that these people, who are salaried employees, who take no risk and have no rare ability, are becoming rich, is a scandal. Top earning employees in the corporate and financial world are not worth their salaries."

What about professional footballers and celebrities? "It's entirely rational that they are paid a huge amount of money. They have talent which can't be replicated. Take Tom Cruise. Nobody can be Tom Cruise. He deserves his money. He is irreplaceable in a way that bankers are not irreplaceable."