Workplace Insights by Adrie van der Luijt
Careers aren’t really ladders, they’re more like messy scribbles with occasional moments of clarity. I’ve spent decades watching talented people waste years chasing what they thought they should want rather than what actually suited them.
The posts in this section reflect what I wish someone had told me thirty years ago: that the most successful careers are built on knowing your strengths, acknowledging your limitations and having the courage to navigate workplace politics without becoming what you despise.
Whether you’re just starting out or questioning decades of choices, you’ll find honest reflections on creating a career that works for you rather than burning yourself out for an organisation that sees you as replaceable.
Micro trauma—the accumulated effect of everyday stressors—significantly impairs users’ ability to process information effectively. Learn how trauma-informed content design principles can create more accessible digital experiences that accommodate cognitive limitations caused by stress, anxiety and distraction, helping vulnerable users complete critical tasks when they need support most.
Explore how AI used in public services may disproportionately harm vulnerable users, highlighting real-world risks of AI fails and outlining essential steps for safer, more inclusive AI deployment.
The hollowing out we’re witnessing in software development, executive assistance and copywriting isn’t a coincidence. It’s part of a broader pattern reshaping virtually every knowledge work profession, though at different rates and with field-specific nuances.
The expertise vacuum created by AI poses risks that go far beyond job losses. It threatens to undermine the very foundations of reasoned decision-making within organisations and society more broadly.
Executive support has evolved dramatically since the 90s. But what are the real changes behind the trendy job titles?
If you want to stay relevant in an AI-driven world, you need to think beyond today’s tasks and focus on tomorrow’s strategy. The EAs who thrive aren’t just efficient – they’re influential.
I’ve watched billions burn on government IT projects that promised revolution and delivered chaos. When executives defend AI valuations using the same rhetoric vendors used to sell Universal Credit, I recognise the pattern. The infrastructure is real. The technology is revolutionary. This time it’s different. Except it never is.
Tony Blair says AI in public services will revolutionise government. But Adrie van der Luijt has heard it all before and warns that without investment in people, tools and trauma-informed practice, nothing will change.
Micro trauma—the accumulated effect of everyday stressors—significantly impairs users’ ability to process information effectively. Learn how trauma-informed content design principles can create more accessible digital experiences that accommodate cognitive limitations caused by stress, anxiety and distraction, helping vulnerable users complete critical tasks when they need support most.
Five years after the pandemic began, the psychological toll of lockdown is still affecting how people interact with digital public services. This article explains why trauma-informed content design needs to evolve to meet those ongoing needs.
Managing client expectations has become more challenging for freelance content designers and strategists in the AI era. Learn how content professionals can navigate pricing pressures and communicate their value when clients think AI can replace expertise. Discover strategies for sustainable content design in a rapidly evolving industry.
Trauma-informed content can be produced with the help of AI tools without risking secondary trauma to the content designer or content strategist.
Workplace investigations have always been part of the management support landscape. What’s changing now is how these investigations are conducted.
EA role transformation in an AI-driven world is hampered by a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes a management support professional valuable in this transformative era.
Learn how cultural fluidity becomes a professional superpower in navigating workplace transitions. Discover strategies for transforming imposter syndrome into unique insight across diverse professional environments.
Discover how career improvisation transforms professional limitations into opportunities. Learn practical strategies for navigating non-linear career paths and finding value in unexpected transitions.