Foreword from Emma Brown, President of SEAP
Thriving, Not Just Surviving, in the Brussels Bubble
Every day, thousands of professionals across the EU institutions, associations, consultancies, companies, civil society organisations and diplomatic representations work to shape policy, build consensus and contribute to Europe’s future. It is a remarkable ecosystem: intellectually demanding, politically complex, multilingual, multicultural and deeply committed.
It is also an ecosystem that asks a great deal of people.
Those of us working in the Brussels bubble know the rhythm well. It can often be unpredictable, fast-paced and intense: Early-morning briefings, late-night negotiations, constant information flows, shifting political priorities, panel discussions, networking events, deadlines, travel, stakeholder demands, and the pressure to be both strategic and immediately responsive. Public affairs is a profession that often sits at the intersection of urgency and uncertainty. We are expected to anticipate, interpret, explain, influence and deliver, often all at once.
That energy is part of what makes Brussels so unique. But it also comes with a cost.
Burnout is not always visible. It does not always look like collapse. Sometimes it looks like being “always on”. It looks like replying to one more email late at night, attending one more reception, preparing one more briefing, or feeling that stepping back is somehow a sign of weakness. In a city where professional networks are also social networks, and where opportunities can feel tied to constant presence, the line between commitment and overextension can become dangerously thin.
As a profession, we need to be honest about this.
Excellence in public affairs should not be measured by exhaustion. Influence should not depend on being permanently available. Leadership should not mean absorbing pressure silently. If we want to attract and retain talented, ethical and resilient professionals, we need to create a culture where ambition and wellbeing are not seen as opposing forces.
That responsibility sits with all of us, but goodwill alone is not enough. Addressing burnout as a systemic issue requires sound process design, adequate resourcing, and a professional discipline that reduces constant improvisation. As public affairs professionals, part of our responsibility is to understand the EU policymaking process as thoroughly as possible and to lead our teams, timelines and resources, accordingly anticipating pressure points rather than relying on perpetual fire-fighting.
Employers must set realistic expectations, allocate capacity properly and build processes that distinguish genuine urgency from habitual overwork. We cannot rely solely on the goodwill of individual managers, nor should one person’s resilience be the determining factor in others’ wellbeing. Managers must be empowered and supported to protect their teams’ capacity and model healthy, credible boundaries.
Culture matters too. Each of us has a role in shaping the environment we work in: Resisting behaviours that reward overwork, refusing to stigmatise those who struggle, and looking after ourselves and each other. Professional communities, including SEAP, also have a particular responsibility to open the conversation, challenge harmful norms and help set standards for a healthier, more sustainable Brussels.
Neither design nor culture is sufficient on its own. Systems without the right values become bureaucratic. Values without the right systems remain aspirational. The goal is both.
This matters not only for individuals, but for the quality of our work. Good advocacy requires judgement, perspective, empathy and integrity. These are difficult to sustain in a culture of permanent pressure. A healthier public affairs community is also a more thoughtful, responsible and effective one.
Best in Brussels celebrates talent, professionalism and contribution across our sector. It recognises people and organisations who make a difference in this city. As we celebrate excellence, we should also reflect on what makes excellence sustainable.
The Brussels bubble is often described as fast-moving, competitive and intense. It is all of those things. But it can also be collaborative, generous and deeply human. The more openly we acknowledge the pressures of this environment, the better equipped we are to shape a professional culture that people can thrive in, not just survive.
That, to SEAP, is an important part of what it means to be “Best in Brussels”.
