No doubt you've been watching The Traitors on BBC (and if not, where have you been)? For those few who are uninitiated, it’s a TV game show full of twists and turns, pitting “Faithfuls” against “Traitors” in a strategic game of deception.
As Employment lawyers watching the TV show, we couldn't help but notice the surprising number of lessons that can be gleaned in respect of the workplace - specifically concerning employment law and the importance of keeping workplaces drama-free.
Let’s take a closer look…
In The Traitors, secrecy is the name of the game. The Traitors have to keep their true identities under wraps, while the Faithfuls scramble to figure out the truth.
Now, as an employer, there’s a BIG takeaway here: transparency and communication. Employees should never feel like they’re in the dark about company decisions or workplace expectations. Keeping secrets and leaving your team guessing can lead to confusion, mistrust and ultimately, grievances. In a worst case scenario, it could lead to a legal claim (and no one likes a legal claim).
Employment law and best practice requires employers to be clear about their policies, expected rules/standards of behaviour and terms and conditions of employment. Employers are therefore required to provide employees (as a minimum) with certain legally prescribed information relating to their employment (i.e. an employment contract) and to have disciplinary and grievance policies in place. Depending on the size of employer there may be additional legal requirements, including the need to have a health and safety policy.
Of course, the above is the bare minimum, and ultimately, to ensure that employers have a decent amount of protection and flexibility when dealing with their employees, they should have a comprehensive employment contract in place and a comprehensive set of employment related polices and standards, often contained in an Employment Handbook.
If you're planning on shaking up the office—whether it’s introducing a new policy, or changing working hours —make sure to communicate and consult about it first. A clear, open consultation process often means less drama and fewer claims of unfair treatment. Nobody likes feeling like a Faithful who’s been blindsided by a Traitor… especially when it’s HR seemingly doing the betraying.
In the world of The Traitors, it doesn’t take long before someone is suspected of being a Traitor. And with good reason—these contestants are sneaky! The Faithfuls must use their instincts and sharp skills to figure out who’s the problem before it's too late.
In the workplace, this teaches us one crucial thing: recruitment matters. You shouldn’t just let anyone into your team. In the real world, it’s not about figuring out if someone’s sabotaging the team (though, let’s be honest, it does happen sometimes!), but about hiring the right people who fit into your business’ culture and can be trusted to do their job, in the first place.
Plus, there’s the little issue of employment discrimination. You want to make sure you’re hiring without bias, and that your recruitment process is compliant with employment laws, such as ensuring you don’t unknowingly discriminate on grounds of age, disability, race, sex, or other protected characteristics. Trust me, you don’t want to end up with a legal claim that could have been avoided by asking the right questions up front or by not asking the wrong questions. How many times are we asked as employment lawyers, if an employer can ask a female candidate if she is planning to become pregnant anytime soon…
So, vet those candidates carefully and have legally fair and non-discriminatory recruitment processes in place.
One of the tensest moments of The Traitors is when the contestants openly vote to banish a fellow contestant. Sure, it makes for good TV, but let’s be real—no one wants to “banish” an employee from the workplace in such a dramatic way.
As an employer, this brings us to a very important point: if you're going to let someone go, do it by the book. Whether it's a disciplinary or performance related issue, ensure you follow a fair and reasonable process and have a legally fair reason to dismiss. You should also follow you own employment policies. Dismissing someone without giving them the chance to explain themselves, without sufficient reason or without following your policy can lead to claims of unfair dismissal and/or discrimination, depending on the circumstances and we all know that’s a can of worms you don’t want to open.
One of the most thrilling aspects of The Traitors is how the Traitors pit the Faithfuls against each other, creating chaos and mistrust. In a workplace, that’s like when one employee causes unnecessary upset and divides the team. The result? A toxic work environment where trust is non-existent and productivity goes out of the window.
From an employer’s perspective, this is an important reminder to build a culture of collaboration and fairness. When employees feel like they are part of a supportive team, they are less likely to cause trouble (or be trouble). You want to foster an environment where everyone has clear goals, appropriate support, fair treatment, and the opportunity to succeed.
On top of that, look out for bullying or harassment—whether that’s managers “playing favourites”, colleagues feeling targeted or picked on by others because they are disabled, or for possessing some other protected characteristic, or perhaps someone is offended by ‘office banter’. Employment law is very clear on this: workplace bullying and harassment is not only unprofessional—it can also be unlawful in many situations. Indeed, the law has recently been tightened in respect of increased penalties for employers should a staff member be sexually harassed in the workplace. This is on top of existing laws that already make harassment in the workplace unlawful.
So, keep the office vibe drama-free and let the workplace be as cooperative as a group of Faithfuls working together to find out who the Traitors are. And, make sure you have comprehensive and clear workplace policies concerning Equality and Diversity, Anti Bullying and Harassment, and Sexual Harassment, as well as clear disciplinary rules which prohibit bullying and harassment of any type.
By applying lessons from the show—promoting transparency, hiring the right people, following the law in dismissal processes, and fostering a supportive work environment —you can avoid workplace drama that may otherwise lead to employment claims. After all, your employees aren’t contestants on a reality show—so let’s keep it friendly, fair, and legally compliant.
As always, we are here to help you and your business ‘get it right’ by:
We can also help with a whole bunch of other employment related matters, so please don’t hesitate to contact our Employment Law Team, if you would like to find out more.
Let’s keep the drama on TV, not in the office!