Working across the Atlantic: an interview with Bill

What is it like to work for a German company as an American? That's what we asked our American team colleague Bill. The transition from American to German work culture can be an exciting challenge. In our latest/current interview, Bill tells us what it's like to adjust to this new environment, what cultural differences stand out and what he appreciates about the German way of working.

Bill: My name is Bill Wood and I work as an Atlassian consultant at catworkx. I've had a lot of experience in the IT industry over the last 15 years, working in a variety of roles at Navy Federal Credit Union and IBM, previously running my own tech company, and working in various areas of our government. Because of my diverse experience, I currently take on numerous roles at catworkx that relate to my work and areas of expertise. In addition to IT, I am also interested in history, science, politics, economics, business ethics and education.

Bill: Working for a German company is like traveling to another universe, but in a good way! As someone who tries to be open-minded, I appreciate the opportunity to get to know other cultures, and at catworkx I get to directly experience the European perspective. It's the first time I've worked for a company outside of America, and the way they work and interact with each other is definitely different.

Bill: Unlike other businesses I have worked at in America, there are no rigid social hierarchies at catworkx, and we aren't kept in a lane with others at our level. At the Atlassian Team '24 event in Las Vegas, for example, I was able to exchange ideas with our executives from branches in different countries in a relaxed atmosphere. Feedback is generally valued here, and if I have a different view it can actually be considered. People also listen without making an immediate decision, which is a method that is new to me. Here at catworkx I participate in what we call “guilds” that meet regularly to discuss topics and improve our services. We even have internal company events that offer the opportunity to get to know each other and network. That's exactly what I appreciate about the working culture at catworkx - it's open, supportive and simply human. 👍

Bill: Due to my tasks, which are located in both the USA and Europe, I have the opportunity to work flexibly and to organize my everyday work independently. This allows me to make optimal use of the time zones and react flexibly to requirements - a decision that I make consciously.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the communication with my colleagues in Europe!

I wish more companies in the US would recognize the value of work-life balance and personal well-being; in my experience only healthy and happy employees are truly productive and motivated.

Bill: What I like most about working with customers is discovering more about their industries and specialties. It's great to learn from them and potentially be able to apply that knowledge in other situations later on. While some may not see this as a good thing, I like tackling problems that don't have a documented answer, especially as someone who works with Atlassian's data center products. Situations where I get to examine a problem in detail, learn to understand it, and design a solution to that problem is a learning experience that I enjoy and find valuable.

Bill: Apart from being able to help my clients, what I like most about my work at catworkx is being part of the Atlassian ecosystem. I've met a lot of great people from around the world, and it's much more open and friendly than other vendor-specific communities I have worked in. Atlassian does a great job of maintaining a partner culture that allows us to work well together between companies for a common positive outcome. Also - and this is a big deal - my work at catworkx allows me to have a personal life! 😄

A majority of jobs in America, even remote, require you to be at your desk from 8am to 5pm, which by some is strictly monitored. Many employers react angrily if you have to do something urgent during this time and even “punish” you for it, even if it's a sick child or the death of a loved one. Unfortunately, important things such as going to a government office, the doctor, attending a course, or voting in an election can often only be done during these working hours and they are opposed to accommodating these. catworkx, on the other hand, values results more than constant presence at the desk. I coordinate meetings with my clients so that they are convenient for all of us - this can also be outside of working hours. However, since I'm always reachable during regular business hours, it's not a problem if I have to attend something during the day as long as everyone is informed. The benefit that many American managers don't see is that I'm less likely to burn out, which actually improves my performance and quality of work in the end. In my previous positions, I often needed “mental health days” to recover from burnout, and my quality of work suffered from the stress. Since I started here at catworkx almost three years ago, this has not been necessary and is now a thing of the past.