What's the Company Culture Like at Adyen?

I wanted to work in team environment with interesting people that would challenge me to grow and see the world beyond my own perspective.  Reading the Adyen Formula was helpful as I started my journey from the outside.  Seeing the way teams work together and the consistency of collaboration I experience across offices in my first year really drove home Adyen was a place that I could call home.  

I was most surprised by how flat the hierarchy actually is; you can easily grab a coffee and share ideas directly with leadership. The "Adyen Formula" isn't just a poster on the wall—it dictates how we actually work, hire, and communicate every day. I want engineering candidates to know that you get the best of both worlds here: the massive scale, complex technical challenges, and wide collaboration of a global fintech, combined with the tight-knit, vibrant and collaborative culture of our Chicago office.

I really love the Adyen Formula as many of the Formula points resonate with how I view my own career philosophies. I knew it would be a good fit when every time I met with a new Adyen team member throughout my interview process - I could see various aspects of the formula being realized or embodied in real time. 

One thing every candidate should know is that the "Adyen Formula" is a lived reality, not just corporate jargon—the level of autonomy and "straight talk" is truly unique. I was surprised by how quickly ego is set aside to "sharpen ideas," allowing anyone, regardless of level, to challenge a process if it leads to a better merchant outcome. It’s an environment where you are fully empowered to own your path, surrounded by a global team that genuinely wants to win together.

I was eager to work at Adyen based on the culture. Understanding the Formula helped me feel comfortable navigating the company early on in my tenure here. When I came for my in-person interview, I could tell that the people in the office were happy to be there. 

Adyen really trusts its people and gives you the space to get your work done. A lot of companies have values, but here the Formula actually shows up in how people work every day. That was something that surprised me in a good way. One of my favorite parts is the annual company gathering in Amsterdam, where you get to meet people from all over the world. It makes the company feel very connected.

If there's one thing I'd really want a candidate to know about working at Adyen, it's that the low-ego and genuinely helpful mindset of Adyeners is just incredible – it really sets us apart. That collaborative spirit is absolutely at the heart of our culture. Adyen also truly invests in its engineers and they're constantly asking for feedback from the engineering team. My favorite company philosophy, "Own Your Growth," perfectly sums it up. Adyen provides an environment where you're given the freedom and support to explore different areas and drive your own development.

We’re not a top down or bottom up organization, the principle is that whoever is the most informed should be the one to make the decision on how to proceed. Of course that doesn’t mean you make decisions entirely on your own, but it does mean that we don’t rely on titles to make decisions. We often create cross functional groups to discuss a dilemma and come out with a decision. This can feel like a lot of responsibility at first but once you get used to it, it creates a culture of empowerment and accountability.

The Adyen Formula fosters an environment where I can deliver value fast. I can see my work take effect and see how it changes customers’ products and people’s lives. I feel like it creates a good environment for working with others, and this way of working also fosters trust in the company.

We deeply care about the customer’s needs, but we’re not catering to one or two specific customers. We cater to all customers’ needs, which is also a Formula point. From an engineering and product perspective, this pushes us to be strategic and think long-term.