In Ireland, at least from the experiences I have garnered, I feel as though success in work can be defined in several different ways. Obviously, if we hit goals, that is one clear way to define success. The goals for my company could be getting more matches, having more elderly homeowners sign up on our website, reaching a high number of impressions on our media campaigns, or even discovering and implementing a new tool to make our processes easier. These are the tangible, measurable forms of success that most workplaces value. Hitting these kinds of targets feels good and gives a sense of progress and accomplishment. However, during my time in Ireland, I realized that there is another standard for success—one that is less about numbers and more about the atmosphere within the team.

I came to see that team morale means a great deal to the workforce in Ireland. There were times during my internship when we failed to accomplish a task or reach a goal. Instead of everyone being disappointed or upset, though, people remained cheerful. Someone would shrug, say that we did our best, and then start talking about what plans they had for the weekend. That kind of positive energy really stood out to me. It showed me that success wasn’t just about outcomes—it was also about the way people felt while working together. Of course, morale can be fragile. If even one person gets too caught up in a failure or feels discouraged, it can throw off the group dynamic. It only takes one person deciding they don’t want to join in on a group outing for the whole plan to fall apart. Maintaining that lighthearted, optimistic environment seemed just as important to people as hitting goals did.

From my experience, that approach felt very different from the workforce in the United States. In the States, people tend to focus heavily on the bigger picture and the bottom line. Failure is seen for what it is, failure, and someone has to step up to fix it. If you make a mistake, it’s generally expected that you’ll take responsibility and work to make up for it yourself. That was always the impression I had from my time working back home. It might seem a little cold, but it is what I grew accustomed to. There’s a sense that the workplace is a place to achieve and produce, and while relationships with coworkers can be positive, the primary focus is on results rather than feelings.

In Ireland, on the other hand, successful people seemed to behave in a more generous and relaxed way. My boss, for instance, regularly took joy in giving the interns extra time off, little gifts, or even small bonuses as recognition for our efforts. While it’s possible that part of this was simply because we were interns, it still felt like generosity and kindness were more normalized here than what I’ve experienced in the States. People seemed to genuinely celebrate each other’s wins and cared about how the team was feeling overall. In the United States, success often feels more like a race—those who are performing well tend to stay in full stride, focused on their own metrics and achievements rather than pausing to make sure everyone else is doing okay. I’ve seen many workplaces at home where people will even take advantage of others in order to get ahead. It can feel messy and even brutal at times, but there is no denying that this intense drive often leads to higher output and faster results.

That contrast stood out to me throughout my time in Ireland. There were moments when I appreciated the more relaxed environment, especially when it made work feel enjoyable and less stressful. At the same time, there were moments where I caught myself thinking that people should be focusing more on the work itself. I don’t always need a gift, a break, or constant encouragement—I sometimes just wanted to stay busy and get more done. Each approach clearly has its benefits and drawbacks. The Irish work culture felt more human, more supportive, and more enjoyable on a day-to-day basis. The American work culture, on the other hand, can be tough and competitive, but it also pushes people to achieve and rewards high performance.

Of course, every workplace and every individual is different, so these observations can’t be applied universally. Still, from the patterns I picked up during my time abroad, Ireland struck me as a more fun and relaxed place to work overall. I say this as a student who had an unpaid internship, but I also worked closely with paid employees, and the general atmosphere seemed to be the same for everyone. There wasn’t this sharp divide in how people were treated or what was expected of them—it was just a friendlier environment all around.

Regardless of these observations, I am still excited to go back to the States soon. As much as I appreciated the experience in Ireland, I miss what I am used to. There is a certain comfort in the fast-paced, goal-oriented environment I grew up with. Even though it can be harsh, competitive, and messy at times, it is familiar to me, and I know how to succeed in it. My time in Ireland gave me valuable perspective on how different work cultures operate, and I think I will be able to bring some of the lessons I learned about generosity and morale back home with me. At the same time, I look forward to returning to the environment that shaped me, ready to work hard and thrive in the kind of fast-paced world that I’ve always known.