The rich should watch their staff get bitten

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One of the many salacious details of Amazon Prime Video A very royal scandal, a mini-series about Prince Andrew’s ill-fated interview with journalist Emily Maitlis, is how rude the prince is to his staff. On the show, he’s routinely mad, abrasive, curt, and tells them to “screw it.”

Although A very royal scandal It is a dramatization based on facts, the prince’s behavior is, according to numerous reports, well grounded in reality. And while Prince Andrew may be mired in scandal, there are plenty of less tainted celebrities and rich people whose staff are lining up to say they’re terrible (or occasionally great) to work for. But are these terrible experiences typical?

“I’ve experienced a very wide range of relationships between HNWIs and their staff,” says George Dunn, director of private staffing agency Fairfax and Kensington, referring to high-net-worth individuals “In the inner sanctum of these big houses, I’ve known housewives to be treated practically like family, especially when they help raise the director’s children.” Staff may be working closely with their principals for decades, helping them through divorce, disputes and depression.

Dunn says that “HNWIs who are very much in the public eye tend to form a closer bond with their staff because of the very solitary nature of their fame.” With the low profile rich, the pressure is less and the relationship can be a more normal work one.

Jonathan Alpert, a Manhattan psychotherapist with clients on Wall Street, says, “Things can go wrong when boundaries are blurred, expectations are unclear, or when one party feels taken advantage of or disrespected.”

He says that the imbalance of wealth and status can complicate the dynamic and that both sides need to be aware of it. “It’s important to have clear expectations and professional boundaries to avoid misunderstandings or feelings of exploitation,” she says.

Of course, even good relationships are apparently no guarantee against publicity. Diana, Princess of Wales was, by all accounts, good company for her butler, Paul Burrell. However, he seems to have made a career out of being her confidante, and even now, 27 years after her death, he’s still dishing out revelations for the tabloid press.

However, not all disagreements with staff end with a simple dirty dish. In November 2022, Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon, was the subject of a lawsuit by his mistress, Mercedes Wedaa. The lawsuit claimed, among other allegations, a series of minor restrictions around access to restrooms during long shifts. Bezos’ lawyer denied the allegations.

In Ashlee Vance’s 2015 biography of Elon Musk, the author wrote that when Mary Beth Brown, Musk’s longtime PA, asked for a raise, the billionaire told her to take two weeks off . He then did his duties himself, decided they were no big deal, and dismissed her upon his return. Musk has disputed history.

It can feel like we’re in an era of staff dishing out the dirt to employers. There may be a number of drivers behind this. One is the growth of the new elite, the so-called second gilded age, which is staffed by people ranging from low-paid domestic staff to upper-middle-class managers. Another factor is that the tabloid social media ecosystem means it’s never been easier to leak information, and because of technology, those leaks are often much better corroborated with, say, video.

“With social media and a culture of oversharing, there’s a greater tendency for people to divulge secrets, whether they’re personal or about others,” says Alpert.

What can the rich do to get staff to air grievances in public? not much Nondisclosure agreements may make disgruntled employees think twice, especially since they can affect future employability, but they won’t stop an aggrieved staff member or reverse the immediate damage. “I would advise great caution and discretion when discussing personal matters with staff and encourage the creation of an environment of trust but with an awareness of the risks that come with modern communication platforms,” ​​says Alpert.

The most important bulwark against leakage remains making sure you have a good, well-defined relationship with your staff and treating them as you would like to be treated. Of course, this won’t completely insulate you from disgruntled ex-employees, but it will reduce the chances of leaks. Conversely, if you keep telling your employees to shut up, eventually some of them will, and they’ll be happy to dish the dirt on you.

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This article is part of FT Wealtha section offering in-depth coverage of philanthropy, entrepreneurs, family offices, as well as alternative and impact investing