How Dutch values enable Daxx, the Netherlands-based software development service company, to make an impact.
Dutch Culture in Daxx’s DNA
Daxx is a software development company with delivery centers spanning Ukrainian tech hubs. Being founded in Amsterdam in 1999 by entrepreneurs Bart Kuyper and Jeroen Rijnen, Daxx has an enduring history with the Netherlands.
Sharing common Dutch origin, Daxx executives were well on their way to do business with like-minded people. Ukraine was a country with a wealth of talent, and the newly hired initial Ukrainian team turned out to be a perfect match both culturally and professionally.
The company was growing by 20–30% annually, and gradually, the core Dutch values were adopted by around 500 Ukrainians working at Daxx today.
Dutch culture has been embraced by Daxx so deeply that traces of it can be seen in management style, business communication, and decision-making. It is hardly surprising that some of the Daxx company values have eventually become very Dutch.
Straightforward, But Not Blunt
Daxx founders, employees, and clients brought a handful of Dutch values into the company, and transparency is one of the most apparent.
The Dutch are known for their straightforwardness. If a situation needs improvement, or if your performance is poor, you will be told about that explicitly. However, being honest is not equal to being blunt or lacking delicacy.
The Dutch roots of straightforwardness in the Daxx context have evolved into an open-door management style, where every employee is welcome to share their ideas and concerns, both with peers and with senior management.
If Eric Berne had written his “Games people play” about the Dutch, it would have been called “Games Dutch people DON’T play.” And the same goes for Daxx’s standards of communication. If you have an issue with me, please address it to me directly and let’s have a talk face-to-face. No hidden undercurrents and intrigues.
The no-games mindset is widely shared by Daxx employees. They aren’t obsessed with dividing and defending their territories, but are much more interested in pursuing the common goal.
“Looking forward to seeing the results of your work”
Despite the fact that the post-Soviet authoritative management style is vanishing, the Ukrainian mentality can be still used to getting clear instructions, micromanagement, and status checks.
This was especially noticeable 12 years ago when Daxx founders entered Ukraine to scale up their software development service capacity. The country’s IT service industry was not as mature as it is today, and today’s self-confidence at work among Ukrainian tech professionals was just starting to bud.
Ukrainians expected to be given instructions on what to do and how to do it. But it was not Daxx’s way then, and neither is it today.
Micromanagement at Daxx is kept to a minimum. Of course, certain tasks are cascaded with a concrete set of actions to be taken. However, in 90% of cases, you are entrusted with carte blanche. Until you bring the expected results. If you don’t, you will be given direct and honest feedback that will encourage you to correct your way of work.
This results-driven approach to doing business is shared with no regard to seniority level or area of expertise, from C-level management to other departments including Sales, Recruitment, and HR.
If you were to join Daxx someday, the most typical message that you would get from one of your colleagues would be: “Looking forward to seeing the results of your work.” That’s all that matters.
Hygge at Its Best
As in any business, building dedicated development teams requires focus and determination. However, the Dutch are not go-getters obsessed with profit and success 24/7. Yes, a successful outcome is a top priority, but people and relationships are of the same value.
Igor Tkach, Daxx General Manager, being at the forefront of Daxx’s service and a touchpoint for European and US customers, says: “Around half of Daxx customers are Dutch businesses that have emerged as a long-lasting result of well-built relationships between Ukrainians and the Dutch. The human side of the business, personal touch, and shaking hands are vital in building partnerships with the Netherlands.”
The same is true for Daxx’s internal corporate culture. Daxx’s employer brand identity is often associated with work-life balance and a family atmosphere where everyone is in their comfort zone. In other words, hygge at its best.
Successful Entrepreneurs
Another special trait of Dutch culture is humbleness. While being quite straightforward in everyday communication, the Dutch are not used to praising themselves or boasting. Never. Instead of labelling something they do as great, they would rather say it is good.
To give you a real-life example, when an abstract was published on Daxx’s website a few years ago mentioning Daxx executives as “successful entrepreneurs,” they immediately requested to remove this line. Are they successful entrepreneurs? Obviously yes. Do they want to sound like they are? Definitely no.
And this Dutch humble self-positioning has penetrated the Daxx corporate culture as well.
It reminds of what Ashlee Vance wrote in her book about Elon Musk describing his self-presentation skills: “He’s a confident guy, but doesn’t always do a good job of displaying this.” This is what could be said about Daxx as well. Despite above-average eNPS scores, high customer satisfaction, and a genuinely positive working atmosphere inside the company, the Daxx culture is like an uncut gem — you may not fully understand its value at first glance. Until you look a bit closer.
Being a truly outstanding company attracting high-calibre talent and a trusted partner for its customers, Daxx should probably show off more. If only showing off was not against its Dutch character.
