What makes our policymaking space so vulnerable to toxic workplace behaviours? A chat with Bryn Watkins
When I began hosting listening sessions, a few voices stood out—people who truly grasped the importance of the issue at hand.
Among them was Bryn Watkins, whose determination to shift the burden of change onto perpetrators rather than victims left a lasting impression.
For the longest time, though, I mistakenly called him Brian—until one day, as I was explaining the pronunciation of my own name, Bryn gently corrected me, “It’s Bryn, not Brian.”
Bryn is a superstar—and here’s why: he’s an activist, a critical thinker, and someone who genuinely cares.
He doesn’t know this yet, but I first came across him during one of Tom Moylan’s virtual events in the pandemic. I was so struck by his insights and work that I followed him on LinkedIn and started imagining ways we could collaborate—not necessarily at a job, but on a project, hobby, or passion initiative.
Fast forward to today, and here we are, chatting on WhatsApp about building A Better Brussels. Bryn is now an active Ambassador for A Better Brussels, and his perspective on workplace culture is nothing short of insightful.
Why keep this to myself, right? Recently, I asked Bryn: beneath the Eurobubble’s polished exterior, what makes our policymaking space so prone to toxic workplace behaviours?
In this conversation, Bryn shares his observations. And honestly, it’s best to let his words speak for themselves.
Bryn, over to you:
There are a few cultural issues in the Eurobubble, which I think contribute to a high risk of toxic workplaces. Let’s list them so that its easier for people to read. In the Eurobubble, its a….
A celebration of individual ambition and organisational politics, leading to a vicious culture of scheming and backstabbing in some teams or workplaces.
A small, gossipy employment pool where your experience is your qualification and your reputation is everything. This makes it scary to speak out publicly about bad experiences.
Our work is meaningful and exciting, and that’s great! But a desire to feel important and an inability to say no to politicians, members, or clients can result in excessive workloads and delusions of urgency.
A confused and incompetent approach to diversity and inclusion. We are proud to the point of arrogance about how many nationalities work together in Brussels. But we are clumsy to the point of violence when diversity goes beyond mixing middle-class white people from different European countries.
A sharp hierarchy of professions and occupations, whereby admin and comms staff are seen as lower and lesser than policy officers and senior leaders.
A high number of small organisations with no real HR function. Leaders often lack the skills to manage for wellbeing, and non-Belgian managers do not follow the local employment legislation, which exists to keep people safe. Workers also do not understand their rights and protections.
These cultural problems can translate into toxic behaviours by workers at all levels, from interns to the most senior decision-makers. But managers play a special role in creating the culture inside their own team, so change has to start with them.
It is especially important to ensure that young newcomers to the eurobubble are safe, seen, and supported at work because they will normalise their experiences of today as the culture of tomorrow.
Thank you, Bryn. Such insightful stuff. A lot to think about.
Conversations like these remind us that, while the challenges are real, so are the opportunities for change.
If Bryn’s reflections have sparked something in you—whether it’s a desire to reflect on your own workplace, help a peer, or start a conversation with your boss—I invite you to check out our Resource Hub.
You’ll find tools like the
”Am I a toxic boss?! self-assessment,
Conversation Starters for end-of-year reviews, and
Our “How EU bosses can do better! report, which provides practical steps toward creating a safe, seen, and supported work environment.
And if you find these resources valuable, please share them with your peers or bosses. Sometimes, it’s a small gesture that can start a larger shift.
