What BBC’s The Traitors tells us about human behaviour and the importance of representation

As the nation continues to be gripped with The Traitors, the debates on bias continue. What is fascinating is the complete fallibility, not of ordinary people, but those who claim to be so-called 'experts'.

Think Amanda, the retired police detective and both Harriet and Hugo, ex-barristers, or the Ellie the  psychologist. These 'intelligent' adults are like kids in a playground, grabbing gossip and misinformation to form what they consider to be evidence-based decisions, only to be proved wrong at the roundtable. Cognitive priming and groupthink are in full flow. The Traitors is a counter-agreement to the 'wisdom of crowds' theory popularised by James Surowiecki. Indeed, it is evidence of what Charles Mackay calls the 'Madness of Crowds'.

But what is more interesting is the representation of the contestants. The producers have clearly gone to great lengths to construct a cast list that is representative of modern Britain by ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, social background, etc.

The make-up of the current contestants is not by accident, but diversity by design, i.e., consciously factored into the selection process. And let's be clear from the outset; this is a good thing. Representation matters. Left to chance, we'd end up with a group of individuals who would clearly be un-representative of modern Britain.

This principle applies in corporate life. Within the current debates on diversity and inclusion, the de-prioritisation of diversity towards an 'inclusion-for-all approach' risks underpinning a fundamental principle of equity. Therefore, any approach with strategic intent must as a key aspect prioritise the inclusion (representation) of traditionally marginalised groups.

5 key reasons why representation is critical

1. Representation is political: In cultural theory it was the great thinker Stuart Hall who stressed the 'politics of representation'. Those who control how groups are viewed by others control the means of production of stereotyping and the politics of othering.
2. We can't be what we can't see: In corporate life, representation creates role models. Seeing people 'like us' in positions of authority sends strong psychological signals of belonging.
3. As stressed by Bell Hooks (The Male Gaze) diverse representation breaks traditional power structures. It provides an opening up of opportunities for men and women, and others, to break free to embrace their authentic selves.
4. Representation fosters belonging: it signals you are welcome. There is a place here for you in our community. It therefore promotes bonding and a sense of psychological safety.
5. Alignment to EVP: I recently read that 76% of job seekers consider a diverse workforce a critical factor in their employment decisions (this rose to 87% for Gen Z). As the war for talent continues, having a diverse and representative workforce acts a competitive pull factor.

Let's not lose the politics of representation within the current 'politics of diversity'.

For more information on conscious inclusion in the workplace, watch our on-demand webinar on promoting conscious inclusion at work, or explore our conscious inclusion training.