Atlassian is one of the greatest Australian business success stories of recent times, growing from a small startup to having more than 13,000 employees globally and working with more than 300,000 customers.
During that transformation, it can be easy to lose sight of what’s really important. Atlassian, though, has gone above and beyond recently to give back to the people who make it all happen.
In February, Atlassian was announced as the Official Title and Technology Partner of Williams, one of the most successful teams in Formula One history. The partnership united two teamwork powerhouses dedicated to getting back to the front of the grid. The Atlassian Williams Racing partnership also offered a fantastic opportunity to reward staff with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Through its Employee Rewards program, Atlassian is gifting 125 high-performing employees a trip to a Grand Prix in Singapore, Amsterdam, Brazil, Austin, or Abu Dhabi to see Atlassian Williams Racing hit the track. Winners are selected based on their contributions to Atlassian’s innovation and velocity, as well as their personal impact within the business and focus on collaboration.
Employees are nominated by senior leadership. Each winner’s story or quote is spotlighted for team members to celebrate, highlighting why they were nominated or won, with a focus on these principles.
Atlassian employees can also win through ShipIt, the company’s twice-yearly hackathon which sees employees put aside their day jobs and tackle a side project of their choosing within small teams. They are often made up of colleagues who don’t usually collaborate.
The Atlassian Employee Rewards program offers an all-expenses-paid, three-day trip to watch Williams in action at a Formula 1 race – an unforgettable experience that goes far beyond just race tickets. Winners enjoy an exclusive Atlassian Williams Racing experience, vibrant local cultural tours, a special awards celebration, and the chance to connect with fellow high-performing Atlassians from around the world. This unique program is designed to recognise outstanding achievement and create lasting memories through shared experiences and global connections.
The partnership between Atlassian and Williams signals a commitment to achieving competitive success through teamwork and innovation. Atlassian’s teamwork principles — aligning to shared goals, unleashing knowledge, and leveraging AI — are not just theoretical. They are embedded in the daily operations of Williams, resulting in faster innovation, better decisions, and measurable on-track performance improvements.
Central to this success is Atlassian’s commitment to deeply understanding Williams’ unique culture, workflows, and tools. By immersing themselves in the fast-paced, high-stakes world of motorsport, Atlassian has been able to identify exactly how to help unleash the team’s full potential, fueling innovation and performance both on and off the track.
Three Aussie Atlassian Employee Experiences
Abhi Kishore, principal engineer, was off in Singapore last week. Abhi loves experimenting with the possibilities of AI, and “being able to reach out to people on any team in the company to work on innovative ideas together”.
“I’m super excited to be travelling into Singapore to experience F1 up close! I’m fascinated to observe first-hand how the Atlassian Williams team collaborates on problems across so many domains – software, hardware, you name it,” Abhi said before he headed off.
A rich source of collaboration for Atlassian employees is Loom, an AI-powered video messaging platform owned by the tech company. Using the rich context of Loom videos to prompt AI to do everything from build prototypes, fix bugs, and update Confluence documents based on video feedback, Abhi has tapped AI to build better products with his team.
Jacqueline Bietz, product manager, is heading to Abu Dhabi later this year. Jacqueline was recognised for fostering collaboration, innovation, and velocity across the team.
“I’m excited to join my team in Abu Dhabi and celebrate what we’ve achieved together! Looking forward to connecting with global Atlassians and seeing innovation in action at the F1,” Jacqueline said.
Michelle Xie, growth designer, also headed to Singapore and is a ShipIt winner.
“I’m really looking forward to experiencing the Singapore Grand Prix and my first time watching a night race. It’s known to have great energy, and I can’t wait to cheer on the Atlassian Williams Racing team,” Michelle said before the trip.
Michelle focused on centralising items from various platforms to create a streamlined approach that reduces communications overhead, enhancing accountability and efficiency across her team.
“Our project is really cool because we’re not just aggregating information but using a Rovo agent to automatically identify and categorise items based on the context surrounding these items,” Michelle added.
Driving Innovation and Celebrating Wins
Atlassian’s partnership with Williams and its rewards program celebrate the incredible teams behind the scenes, showcasing how collaboration and innovation can lead to meaningful impact for businesses, employees, and partners alike.
As the engines are set to roar to life at another thrilling Grand Prix this weekend, Atlassian’s vision will speed across the racetracks and emerge in cheers from team members–it makes the entire process just that little bit more personal and meaningful.
Atlassian’s commitment to its people is just as powerful as its drive for innovation. For those at the race track, this isn’t just a reward—it’s a celebration of great work, creativity, and the collaborative spirit that fuels Atlassian’s global success. More information about Atlassian’s vision and its rewards program can be found here.
