With offices in Amsterdam, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Pune (India), as well as many employees who live completely remotely in too many countries to mention, Rapid Circle is extremely supportive of employees who are looking to broaden their horizons (literally). We interviewed Sam Gregory, Technical Consultant, about his recent move.

Sam Gregory, who has worked for Rapid Circle for five years, made the decision to move from Melbourne to Amsterdam late last year and after a bit of exploring, began working from The Netherlands office earlier this February.

Getting ready for lift-off

“We were really excited about it,” he said in an interview with Rapid Circle. “We made plans in terms of what we were going to do with the house that we were staying in and how we were going to make the move.” Sam and his partner, Emma Schellhorn, rented their house, so they had to decide what to do with their furniture. They considered subletting but quickly dismissed the idea. Instead, they decided to “just can the house and put everything in storage.” Sam said that they started packing early, even though they had seven months until they were planning to leave. “Doing that was actually awesome because then we started to think, do we actually need this thing? It was a bit of a Marie Kondo kind of thing.”

The team transition

Moving to another country for work can be a challenge that requires a lot of effort and adjustment. “Initially, the Rapid Circle Netherlands organisation were trying to place me in a team that would require me to acquire new skills within a short timeframe, but that plan was quickly dismissed”. Fortunately, he was placed in the voice team, which marked the start of a new chapter in his career. Despite the initial challenges and learning curves, Sam was able to find his footing and quickly make a positive impact in his new role.

Joining the Dutchies

It didn’t take long for Sam to feel at home, thankful that Dutch people were friendly and welcoming, which made his settling-in process a breeze. “We were greeted with open arms and friendly smiles from everyone we met. We were shown around the city and taken to a great wine bar for a meet and greet. It was a wonderful way to begin our new adventure in the Netherlands”. He also noted that there was no language barrier, as it’s common to speak fluent English in The Netherlands (although he is trying to learn Dutch). “Learning is hilarious and hard, but it’s a fun project that I can do on the side.”

Work culture in the Netherlands

Sam also noted that the Dutch work culture is different from what he was used to in Australia. “Something I’ve really noticed about the Dutch way of working is that everyone likes a lot of FaceTime.” He explained that this ties into the Dutch concept of “gezellig”, which he described as “a combination of cosiness, comfort, togetherness.”

He acknowledges that there are differences in the way business is conducted in the Netherlands compared to Australia but believes that this may actually help to bridge the gap and create a more effective team. “There are some things that are working really well in Australia and it’ll be interesting to see if that translates to success in the Netherlands as well.”

Overall, Sam’s experience moving to the Netherlands for work with Rapid Circle has been incredibly positive. “It’s just an amazing place to be and I feel really fortunate to have this experience.”

April 28, 2023