The “LIFE IN JAPAN” series showcases the lifestyles of PayPay employees from 50 different countries and regions who have moved to Japan.
In this issue, we interviewed Michael Groen from the Netherlands about his journey to joining PayPay and the secret to maintaining his unique lifestyle in a country with a different culture.
Michael Groen
Product Group Payment Product Division Design Department Core App & Growth
Hi, I’m Michael from the Netherlands! I first came to Japan in 2014 while I was in university. After graduating, I returned to Japan to work for a travel and media company for six years as a Lead Designer. I joined PayPay in November 2022, and currently, I’m a Senior Product Designer for the Core App team. In my daily life in Japan, I enjoy learning new things, going out for coffee, and going on trips.
What sparked your interest in Japan?
I’ve always been interested in Japan. It started when I had a Japanese friend on a football team during primary school, and over time, my interest in the culture and anime grew.
When I was a student, I had a professor who introduced me to the idea of working in Japan and recommended it as a great place to gain experience abroad. Since I had always wanted to visit, I decided to do an internship in Japan during my senior year.
I stayed in Japan for about six months during that time and I absolutely enjoyed it. So, upon returning to my home country I knew immediately that I wanted to go back to Japan. Fortunately, I received a job offer shortly after, which brought me back here.
Interestingly, the professor who inspired me to come to Japan is now one of my colleagues on PayPay’s design team!
Did you have any concerns before coming to Japan? If so, how did you overcome them?
As someone who likes to go with the flow and loves traveling, I didn’t have major concerns except for the language barrier. So, before coming to Japan, I studied a bit of Japanese to boost my confidence.
On my first visit, I arranged a place to stay at a share house, packed my suitcase, and off I went. I arrived without knowing how to get from the airport to my accommodation and I didn’t have a SIM card on, so I had to ask for directions (laughs).
Can you tell us about your life in Japan?
While the language barrier has posed a challenge, I was also surprised by the amount of physical paperwork involved in administrative procedures, and the high-context culture of “reading the air.” Even now, I occasionally find myself lost in translation.
In the realm of communication, I’m progressively grasping the nuances of the language. In Japan I frequently encounter new situations which bring me delight as I embrace them as discoveries, fostering my sense of joy in continuous learning.
What was your approach to learning Japanese?
I typically approach larger tasks by breaking them down to something measurable. Initially, I assessed the Japanese proficiency required by the JLPT, Japan’s official language test, in order to achieve a business-level competence.
Breaking it down to the number of words required, I calculated that by learning approximately 10 words a day, I could achieve this goal in less than two years. Consequently, I committed myself to daily Japanese study, using tools like flash-cards for learning new words and grammar during my commuting time.
While in Japan, another strategy I employed was actively engaging with people to put my language skills into practice. I believe making mistakes is inevitable yet crucial in embracing them as an integral part of the language-learning process.
What are some challenges you want to take on in Japan?
I would love to visit and discover all the prefectures! I’ve had the opportunity to visit various prefectures during my previous job when I was creating designs for the inbound travel industry.
It is interesting that each prefecture has its own unique characteristics, local gourmet foods and places of interest! That’s why I want to visit them all. Now that I have a Japanese driver’s license, I would like to visit more remote areas in the near-future.
As a designer, I aspire to contribute to our society by creating user-friendly designs that improve people’s financial wellness, enhance accessibility and enable a cashless society.
Did you have any concerns about working at a Japanese company?
Initially, I had reservations about potential challenges, such as the common perception of substantial overtime, a potential for micromanagement, and limited professional growth opportunities.
Any initial skepticism I had disappeared after gaining insights into PayPay’s company and team culture during the interview. The company actively encourages opinions and ideas, fosters a culture of research, learning, and knowledge sharing. This positive environment fueled my excitement to join the team.
What’s it like working at PayPay?
The working style at PayPay is flexible with an excellent and diverse team. For me, it’s an ideal environment with open and friendly communication.
Our team shares a strong commitment to improving our products, fostering an environment where we can freely express our opinions, challenge each other, and learn, irrespective of our roles.
We engage in numerous challenging projects that expose us to the latest technologies, contributing to my professional growth and enjoyment of the work.
As for language, we use both Japanese and English as our in-house languages at PayPay, supported by an excellent interpretation/translation team. This ensures seamless communication, even for those who may not speak Japanese. Personally, I usually use both languages, but occasionally, I have an interpreter come in to assist me!
A message for those considering working in Japan at PayPay!
Japan is not only a very safe place but also a fascinating country with always something new to discover at every turn. PayPay offers a fantastic environment and flexibility. I enjoy working here so much that I actively refer my friends to join the company.
You won’t regret coming! We look forward to working with you!
In our upcoming issue,
We’ll be chatting with a PayPayer who came to Japan for the first time to pursue an opportunity at PayPay.
Stay tuned!
Current Job Openings
*Job openings and employee affiliations are current as of the time of the interview.