The way we understand how developers work is undergoing significant changes. The era of Hybrid Work has arrived, presenting both new challenges and opportunities. In this paper, we will examine the primary obstacles developers face in their roles, the key barriers to their productivity, and what individuals, teams, and organizations can do to address them. The SPACE framework suggests that developer productivity encompasses various dimensions, and the challenges developers encounter are equally complex.
Since the pandemic, the landscape of software engineering has evolved, with one of the most notable shifts being the ability for individuals to choose their work location. Companies now recognize the value of offering flexible work arrangements to attract and retain top talent. Our research indicates that developers dissatisfied with their ability to choose when and where they work are more than twice as likely to be actively seeking new job opportunities. However, offering such flexibility comes with its own set of tradeoffs and challenges, which companies must address to maintain a successful and efficient workforce. There is an opportunity to enhance the benefits of hybrid work while also tackling its unique challenges.
Current research suggests that we have yet to fully master hybrid work. It still holds the potential to offer the best of both worlds—a dynamic, connected work environment with meaningful social interactions and a balanced life that allows for personal activities alongside professional duties. However, this promise has not yet been fully realized. Many people experience the tension of going to the office when no one else is there, struggling to separate work from personal life, feeling "always on," and dealing with "productivity paranoia"—a common disconnect between managers' perceptions and employees' actual activities. Further research is needed to determine how hybrid work can enable individuals to live fulfilling lives while remaining productive at work. This study aims to identify the specific challenges of hybrid work in software engineering by analyzing over 3,400 survey responses from developers across 28 companies in seven countries, asking not just where they work, but whether it is truly effective for them.
The Great Debate: In-Office vs. Remote vs. Blended Work Models
Our research seeks to determine which work arrangement—fully in-office, fully remote, or a blended model—yields the highest levels of reported productivity and job satisfaction among developers. Identifying the most effective work model can be challenging, as previous studies suggest that the ideal way of working is highly individual. Some people are more productive when working remotely, while others thrive in an office environment. Hybrid work offers the flexibility to leverage both remote and in-office settings depending on the nature of the tasks at hand, theoretically leading to enhanced productivity and job satisfaction. Figure 1 presents the distribution of work locations among participants in our study.
Despite the popularity of hybrid work policies, most respondents in the study work entirely from home. This could be due to companies operating as fully remote or developers opting not to visit the office in a hybrid setup. While this indicates that remote work is the dominant model among the software engineers surveyed, the question remains whether it is the most productive. To explore this, the study analyzed responses to the statement, "I have experienced high levels of productivity in the last six months," rated on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The average responses were then compared to the developers' reported physical work locations.
Our analysis reveals that developers working entirely remotely report the highest levels of productivity, followed by those who split their time between home and office, with fully onsite workers reporting the lowest productivity. The differences in productivity ratings between fully remote and hybrid workers, as well as between fully remote and fully onsite workers, are statistically significant (p < .001).
Several factors were considered, such as career stage, industry type, and company history with remote work. However, even after controlling for these variables, fully remote developers consistently reported feeling more productive than those in hybrid or fully in-office settings.
While these findings might suggest that remote work is superior, they likely highlight two key points: remote work does not inherently reduce productivity, and optimizing hybrid work remains challenging. The evidence supports the idea that remote developers can be highly productive, and companies should not hesitate to support remote work. This data also underscores the complexity of hybrid work and the ongoing challenges that need to be addressed.
The Struggle is Real: Top Work Challenges Faced by Developers in Hybrid Work
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted many tech companies to implement remote work policies, allowing developers to work from home but also introducing new challenges. Previous studies identified issues such as missing social interactions, communication difficulties, and inadequate hardware. As companies transition to hybrid work models, our research aimed to explore how these challenges have evolved with the blend of home and office work.
To identify the current challenges developers face, we surveyed respondents, asking them to select one to three challenges from a pre-determined list based on interviews and past research. We focused on a six-month reflection period, aligning with many developers' six-month development cycles, to capture a comprehensive view of ongoing challenges. The survey results show the most frequently reported challenges, with many developers selecting multiple issues, resulting in totals exceeding 100%.
Let's talk about major challenges
The research highlights several key challenges developers face in hybrid and remote work environments:
1. Missing Social Interactions: The most frequently cited challenge is the lack of social interactions, even for those who have the option to work in the office. Surprisingly, fully onsite developers report missing social interactions 8% more than fully remote developers. This issue may stem from meetings being transactional, mismatched office schedules, or other factors. However, this challenge does not appear to impact productivity or job-seeking behavior.
2. Too Many Meetings: The shift to remote work led to an increase in meetings, replacing brief hallway conversations with longer, more exhausting virtual meetings. Despite hybrid work, the challenge persists, as meetings remain the default interaction method. This overload of meetings can lead to burnout and reduced focus on meaningful work.
3. Inefficient Work Processes: Inefficient processes are a major barrier to productivity and job satisfaction. Developers who struggle with this challenge are more likely to feel unproductive, dissatisfied with their jobs, and inclined to seek employment elsewhere. This issue is prevalent across companies of all sizes.
4. Lack of Clear Business Objectives: Nearly 20% of respondents cite unclear business objectives as a top challenge, which correlates with lower productivity, job satisfaction, and increased job-seeking behavior. This challenge is particularly impactful for new hires.
5. Difficulty Collaborating with Colleagues: Challenges in collaboration significantly affect productivity and job satisfaction, with those reporting difficulties being more likely to feel unproductive and to seek new jobs.
These challenges are not specific to certain companies, career stages, or work modalities but are human challenges across various environments. Hybrid work has complicated collaboration and communication, leading to a "Meeting Paradox," where developers want more social and collaborative interactions but fewer meetings. The research suggests best practices like asynchronous collaboration, effective meeting management, and social activities to address these issues and optimize hybrid work.
To come or not to come to the office – that is the question
The study reveals that most developers decide where to work—home or office—based on personal reasons rather than the nature of their work for the day. This might explain why developers still miss social interactions even when they choose to work from the office, as their decision-making isn't focused on coordinating with colleagues. Interestingly, those who choose their work location based on the tasks they need to accomplish, such as focused work or meetings, report higher productivity. This suggests that optimizing work environments for specific tasks—home for focus, office for collaboration—can lead to better outcomes.
The study also highlights that while remote work offers benefits, the office still plays a crucial role in the hybrid model.
The Future of Development: Overcoming the Biggest Barriers to Productivity in a Hybrid World with Better Developer Tools and Processes
Developers encounter productivity barriers related to their tools and processes, with hybrid work potentially intensifying these challenges. New hire developers are particularly affected, being 40% more likely to cite "Insufficient software tools" as a major challenge, with a 37% greater impact on their productivity compared to more experienced developers. While senior developers may have developed workarounds, better tooling could enhance productivity for all developers. A thematic analysis of responses to the question, "What is the biggest barrier to your productivity regarding your development tools and processes?" revealed that the challenges span various aspects of the SPACE framework. Key areas for improvement include reducing friction in tools, the build process, and deployment, as well as enhancing collaboration without increasing the number of meetings.
The shift to hybrid work has highlighted the need for more portable developer computing power, moving away from stationary desktop setups. Cloud-based remote development environments, like Microsoft’s Dev Box, Google’s Cloud Workstations, and Amazon’s WorkSpaces, offer potential solutions by providing scalable power and portability. However, developers are clear that they will only adopt these remote environments if they offer significant value beyond their current tools. Key requirements include responsiveness, availability, ease of setup, and configurability. By addressing these needs, organizations can help developers overcome the challenges of hybrid work and enhance productivity through improved tooling and processes.
Conclusion
The study found that developers typically choose their work location—home or office—based on personal reasons rather than work-related tasks. This may contribute to the ongoing issue of missed social interactions, even when working in the office, as their presence isn't aligned with their peers. Developers who select their location based on the need for focused work or meetings report higher productivity, indicating that tailoring workspaces to specific tasks can enhance outcomes. The research suggests that while remote work has its advantages, the office remains important in the hybrid model.
The original study and further details are available here.