Crossword Genius

Speakers’ work rate worse when exposed (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

orators

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'speakers'' is the definition.
(orator is a kind of speaker)

'work rate worse when exposed' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'work' could be 'rat' (ratting is a kind of working) and 'rat' is present in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for orators that I've seen before include "Eloquent public speakers" , "Cicero and Churchill were" , "Grand public speakers" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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