Beyond Resilience: Anti-Fragility to overcome Organizational Anxiety
28/02/2025
Written by Adela Cristea | Co-Founder Design Thinkers Academy EE
Amy is a dedicated mother and an administrative assistant at a mid-sized company. Recently, her line manager, Tom—a kind and empathetic leader—shared some big news: the company is about to undergo significant changes. A new ERP system will be implemented, AI-driven tools will be introduced, and new colleagues will join the team. On top of that, due to an internal restructuring, Amy’s role might even be moved to a different department.
But Tom reassures her:
“Don’t worry, Amy. Everything will be fine. Just keep up the great work, stay open and be resilient.”
Sitting at the desk next to her, Adrien, her senior colleague, isn’t as optimistic. He scoffs, rolling his eyes.
“This is just corporate nonsense. They’ll replace us with AI and call it ‘innovation.’ Nobody actually cares about us.”
He leans in, lowering his voice.
“And seriously, why do we even need a new ERP? The old one works just fine. We’ll waste a year learning the new system only to realize it’s even worse. You know how it goes, Amy. They never ask us before making these decisions. Then, we’re the ones stuck dealing with the fallout.”
Amy feels torn. On one side, she wants to trust Tom. On the other, Adrien’s cynicism resonates with her fears. As she heads home, a wave of uncertainty settles in.
Will she still be relevant in the coming years? Will she be able to keep up with all these changes? Will she even have a job?
She reminds herself that at least she has a supportive leader. What about those whose bosses are indifferent—authoritarian, unempathetic, and unconcerned about their people? But still, anxiety won’t go away…
She wonders if she should start upskilling, learning something new—but what? Where would she even begin? Frustration builds inside her as the weight of the unknown presses down. Lost in thought, she barely notices her daughter chatting beside her. By the time she realizes she hasn’t been paying attention, guilt creeps in.
She considers discussing it with Elena, her HR Business Partner, but hesitates. Elena is always overwhelmed with administrative tasks. Over the past few months, Amy has seen her leaving the office late, caught up in back-to-back meetings, looking tense and exhausted. HR is already struggling with the implementation of a new Talent Management System that isn’t working properly. On top of that, Elena is juggling recruitment for new positions and managing the complexities of the restructuring process.
Why add to her the additional burden of what feels like an insignificant problem?
Are we truly supporting employees through change?
There are so many “Amys” in organizations today—employees caught in the whirlwind of change, told to be resilient and adapt. But are we, as organizations or HR leaders, truly supporting them in navigating this uncertainty? Are we equipping them with the tools to understand what’s happening and prepare for what’s coming?
These questions have been on my mind a lot lately. We speak a lot our days about Employee Experience, but we still do so little. In companies we see more and more what we call organizational anxiety—the widespread stress, insecurity, and fear of the unknown fueled by rapid technological shifts, the rise of AI, and concerns about mass layoffs. But how can we deal with it?
For years now, we’ve talked a lot about resilience, as a solution to people’s anxiety and organisational anxiety. But to be honest, I never really liked the term. Resilience has always felt reactive—a constant struggle to endure challenges rather than proactively growing from them. It evokes an image of hardship, effort, and survival rather than progress and empowerment.
That’s why when I first heard the term anti-fragility, it immediately resonated. Unlike resilience, which is about enduring and bouncing back, anti-fragility is about thriving in uncertainty—using change as fuel for growth. In today’s fast-paced world, this shift in mindset is game changer.
What is anti-fragility and why it matters now?
The concept of anti-fragility was first introduced by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his 2012 book Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder. According to Taleb, antifragile systems and individuals don’t just withstand shocks—they grow stronger from them.
Unlike resilience, which focuses on recovery, anti-fragility emphasizes emphasizes growth through adversity.
Taleb did not explicitly use the term anti-fragile worker, this concept emerged later, but builds on Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s idea of anti-fragility as a system or individual that benefits from stressors, uncertainty, and challenges rather than simply resisting them (resilient) or breaking under pressure (fragile).
In this era of AI, automation, and constant workplace disruption, with growing organisational anxiety, we need a major change in the way we address these challenges. Because the employees who thrive on uncertainty will be the real winners.
And let’s be clear—anti-fragility doesn’t mean employees must be fearless superheroes who never struggle.
Anti-fragile employees are not immune to stress, fear, or doubt. They are still human, just like Amy. The difference? They are better equipped to deal with these challenges constructively. They receive the right support to help themselves—even when external support isn’t immediately available.
They excel in fast-changing environments. They don’t just adapt—they proactively seek opportunities in disruption. Their core traits include:
- A proactive mindset toward change – Instead of resisting, they embrace uncertainty and find ways to leverage it.
- Continuous learning and upskilling – They are lifelong learners, constantly evolving their skills to stay relevant.
- Seeing technology as a partner for growth, not a threat – They leverage latest advancements in tech to grow and be successful.
- The ability to manage stress and uncertainty – They don’t ignore their fears, but they develop strategies to cope and thrive.
- Seeing change as an opportunity rather than a threat – Instead of dreading the unknown, they find ways to navigate and shape it.
Unlike the traditional “resilient” employee, who withstands difficulties and recovers afterward, the anti-fragile worker sees adversity as a catalyst for growth.
“AI is not primarily a ‘technology’ or ‘operational’ issue; rather, it is an issue for organizational People Functions.”
How can organizations cultivate anti-fragility?
Anti-fragility isn’t an inherent trait—it can be developed through the right culture, mindset, and leadership. Organizations can foster anti-fragility by:
- Helping employees embrace change as an opportunity rather than a threat.
- Encouraging diverse perspectives to promote agility and innovation.
- Providing continuous and relevant / up to date learning and development opportunities, to equip employees for the future.
- Creating a culture where failure is seen as a growth opportunity rather than a source of punishment.
Here are some practical steps to build anti-fragility:
- Reduce fear by reducing the unknown – Fear of change often comes from uncertainty. Helping employees envision possible future scenarios lowers stress and fosters a proactive mindset.
- Encourage ownership of change – Employees are more engaged when they have a say in shaping their future. As the saying goes in Futures Thinking: “Nobody likes to live in someone else’s future.” By involving employees in change initiatives, we empower them to take ownership rather than passively endure transitions.
- Teach employees to see technology as an ally, not an enemy– Equip teams with the skills needed to understand and leverage technology, including AI, ensuring they evolve with it rather than being replaced by it. Trainings like dr. Robert Collins’s course on “AI Demystified” should be a must for everyone.
- Help employees embrace discomfort for growth – Growth rarely happens within the comfort zone. Teaching employees how to navigate and learn from adversity is key to building resilience.
- Build leadership skillsthat are oriented towards the world of the future. Leaders of the future must be able to inspire, guide, motivate and help team members navigate uncertainty and grow through adversity.
- Develop the right skill set for an AI-driven world – The rise of AI demands new competencies to navigate volatility and make informed decisions. Autonomous thinking (a mix of critical thinking and creativity for better decision making) as well as empathy will be essential future skills.
- Emphasize “failing forward” – Failure isn’t a setback; it’s part of the learning process. Organizations should normalize failure as a growth engine rather than something to fear.
Final Thoughts
A few days ago, I read an article by Dr. Robert Collins, “Surfing the Tsunami”, which I consider a must-read for any business leader or HR professional. It aligns with a statement Dr. Collins made during a workshop I attended last year:
“AI is not primarily a ‘technology’ or ‘operational’ issue; rather, it is an issue for organizational People Functions.”
That statement was a wake-up call for me as well. The tsunami approaching our society, organizations, and daily lives is undeniable. This major technological shift will impact every industry, but its most profound effects will be on how we work, interact, and develop skills within organizations. It will reshape the types of jobs that are replaced, created, and transformed.
As HR and business leaders, we have a responsibility—to shape the future of our organizations, design what we want them to become, and lead this digital transformation in a way that enables us to achieve our goals. More than ever, one of our most critical responsibilities is to equip employees not just to survive change but to use it as fuel for growth.
Because in the end, the real question isn’t whether change is coming. It’s whether we’re ready to ride the wave—or be swallowed by it.
I don’t plan to be a spectator in this transformation—I’m committed to driving change. As an entrepreneur who has built multiple businesses over the past 20 years, I’ve already started embedding anti-fragility within our own organizations. And through our daily work at Ascent Group and Design Thinkers Academy with clients—both small and large companies—we are equally focused on fostering this mindset and capability within their organizations.
That’s why I’m both honored and excited to be working with Dr. Robert Collins and Catalina Schveninger on developing a comprehensive framework to help organizations navigate the coming AI tsunami in a practical, thoughtful, strategic, and operationally sound manner. A key part of this framework will also focus on overcoming organizational anxiety and building anti-fragile workforces—so that all the Amy’s in today’s organizations will be better prepared for tomorrow.
How about your organization?
You can also read the full article here: https://www.ascentgroup.eu/beyond-resilience-anti-fragility-to-overcome-organizational-anxiety/
I also recommend the following articles:
- Dr. Robert Collins – Surfing the Tsunami (2025)
- Catalina Schveninger – AI x HR: Director’s Cut (2025)
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