Atlassian the Game-Changer in Tech Roles

The tech world is always changing, and yet, some things seem to remain fixed. Despite being known as an industry that leads innovation in a number of areas, there are many times when those in the tech world seem committed to keeping the status quo.

The lack of diversity and representation in the industry is something that is very slow to change. As is the centring of tech hubs around key locations such as Silicon Valley.

The last couple of years, however, have seen a number of forced changes – many of them requiring companies to undertake rapid digital transformations.

Preparing for Digital Transformation

Even with the accelerated pace of change in technology development and adoption, the industry itself has been slow to change when it comes to personnel and daily operations.

The tech industry wasn’t immune to worker shortages when overseas travel dried up and Australian states and territories went into successive lockdowns. Companies in the tech sector also won’t be immune to the coming workers’ revolution, when up to 48 per cent of workers are expected to leave their current roles in search of something else.

However, there are plenty of tech companies ready to look at their own systems, and take part in a digital transformation. One company who seems to not only be surviving this revolution, but thriving, is Atlassian. They’ve seen what’s coming, and they’ve decided to change the narrative.

Proving that Remote Work Really Can Work

While other companies struggled as they lost access to the global workforce, and then lost local workers who were reluctant to return to the office, Atlassian implemented their Team Anywhere initiative. By allowing for remote and flexible working arrangements, Atlassian gave themselves further options for attracting top talent, and managed to double their workforce in the midst of the pandemic.

This wasn’t about farming out undesirable work to overseas workers. The new arrangement allows for employees to work from countries where Atlassian has a corporate entity, and teams are assembled around complementary time zones. All of this ensures that workers stay connected and supported, without having to uproot their lives and move to the nearest tech capital.

Atlassian has acknowledged the advantages of drawing people with the right skills from wherever they may be located, but they’re still committed to growing their Australian workforce. In fact, they plan to hire 5,000 local IT workers in the coming years, bringing their overall workforce to include over 7,000 Australian staff.

What it’s Like to Work for Team Anywhere

Last month we caught up with a handful of Coder Academy graduates from our web development course at our i.CODE virtual event. The panel included Louise Flanagan, who is now working as a software engineer for Atlassian.

“So August last year, so a year after I graduated, I became a software engineer at Atlassian, and that’s where I’ve been ever since,” Louise says.

“I’m specifically on a front-end team. I work with about 16 engineers directly, and they range from intern, all the way to senior architect, so, yeah, all different levels of experience and background. We’re remote as well, so everyone’s all over the place. But, very supportive team, and I’m super happy to be there.”

“My contract is 100 per cent remote, but I can go into the office if I want to. And the previous place I worked – that was kind of blended. There’s lots of remote jobs now.”

The landscape is changing, and Australian companies like Atlassian are making sure local tech professionals aren’t left behind.

The tech industry has always been known for innovation, and by taking an innovative approach to other, tradition-bound areas of work, tech companies can lead the way as the world of work continues to change.