Netherland is actually extremely egalitarian. Managers are often just one of the team, you address everybody informally, we're all equals, etc. Except in pay. And especially in larger organizations. Managers and people on track to management are seen as the shit. Programmers are paid fairly well compared to the average job, but even if you're single-handedly pulling an important project, you're never going to make the same as people who push numbers, papers and money.
> informally, we're all equals, etc. Except in pay.
arguably the most important part. :) 2nd being team and company culture imo.
> you're single-handedly pulling an important project
Never do it on employment contract in Europe. Even if you really are and then quit your job, from next Monday everything will operate as if you never had worked there.
> you're never going to make the same as people who push numbers, papers and money.
That's why the top EU companies are loathed ERP company, perfumes and purses company, and obesity drug for Americans company.
> everything will operate as if you never had worked there.
Well, they wrecked my app after I left. It was blazingly fast, and we has a very fast moving team. Now the team and the app are slow. (I don't even work there yet and I already know why it's slow, and I don't think it will be very hard to fix.)
Europe is egalitarian in the surface but class-based deep down. Your word is worth as much as your title.
Of course I can't speak for every country but that's the reality.
I'm not saying that anywhere else is better, but in other places I worked there was no such illusion.