Software developer burnout is by no means a new problem, but it appears that little progress has been made to improve the problem in recent years. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of developers have experienced burnout at some point in their career, according to JetBrains' 2023. State of the developer ecosystem report.
Similar research from Haystack Analytics in 2021 found that 83% of developers suffered from work-related burnout. Increasing workloads during the pandemic era was a key topic of conversation in the Haystack study, but as global lockdowns have been lifted and the pandemic has subsided, developers are still feeling overwhelmed.
This high-intensity culture within software development has similarities to that reported by cybersecurity professionals in recent years. The reality is that the nature of your job makes it difficult to disconnect.
The problem has reached such a point that nearly half (47%) of developers are taking proactive steps to monitor their well-being, such as using self-monitoring apps and devices to track physical activity, sleep quality, and overall health. , according to JetBrains. found.
Dave Stokes, technology evangelist at Percona, said ITPro that many developers have traditionally found it difficult to self-monitor and watch for telltale signs of burnout and stress.
“Many find it difficult to self-monitor for burnout, and few know how to walk away without complete disengagement,” he said. “This is particularly bad in open source projects, where developers may contribute in their free time and not be directly employed.”
What is causing software developer burnout?
Martin Reynolds, director of field technology at Harness, said ITPro That burnout is the result of a combination of factors, including high workloads and traditionally grueling hours.
This echoes the findings of Haystack research, which found that the main factors contributing to this wave of burnout included cumbersome workloads, inefficient processes, and unclear goals and objectives.
Developers have been forced to take on “more and more responsibilities” outside of coding, Reynolds said, putting additional pressure on teams.
“They are expected to become experts in all areas, including security and cloud spending,” he said. “Combine developers' growing job scope with skills shortages and continued economic uncertainty, and it's clear they are reaching their limits.”
Working to tight deadlines has always been an occupational hazard for developers, Reynolds added. However, the problem is not the deadlines themselves, but rather the additional workloads placed on them with the expectation that they stick to traditional deadlines.
“The problem is not necessarily the deadlines, but the volume of work that developers face,” he said. “Currently, most organizations will measure performance rather than quality of work, ignoring developer happiness and their overall experience.”
“This can lead to excessive workloads and inefficient processes, as well as increased amounts of time spent on manual and repetitive tasks, such as maintaining unnecessary scripts and repetitive manual testing.”
Stokes echoed Reynolds' comments on workloads, noting that many teams lack the depth to distribute work effectively and reduce pressure.
“Many projects require activities outside of work hours that then affect family or personal time,” he said. “Without a doubt, these conditions are causing burnout and adverse effects on work-life balance, job satisfaction, productivity, and employee turnover.”
Stokes added that perceptions of what constitutes “excessive overtime” can also vary on an individual basis, suggesting that some team members may not be able to cope with the rigorous after-hours demands of their counterparts.
Tight budgets and economic turmoil are affecting the well-being of developers
Economic uncertainty is also playing a role in increasing pressure on software developers, experts said. ITProwith tight budgets creating a confluence of problems for development teams.
Coupled with the current trend of layoffs across the tech industry and the perfect storm of lack of resources and growing demand, this means that many developers are being pushed to the limit, according to Ángel Benito, CTO of software development consultancy Zartis.
In the long term, these factors not only contribute to software developer burnout, but will inevitably lead to higher attrition rates as employees seek opportunities elsewhere.
“Resources, or the lack thereof, are one of the biggest contributors to burnout,” Zartis said. “I've seen that many companies don't see the additional cost of not hiring people: the cost of stubbornly trying to overstretch existing resources on new projects without additional staff.
“That's a recipe for burnout, lower levels of employee engagement and, ultimately, burnout.”
What can be done to remedy the situation?
Michael Man, DevSecOps evangelist at Veracode, said ITPro that leadership teams should rely on two key sets of DevOps principles”The three ways” and “The Five Ideals.
“These are commonly accepted approaches that allow software development teams to reduce stress and ultimately not burn out,” he explained. “They include an emphasis on flow and a focus on creating fluid, efficient and fast workflows, as well as promoting a culture of continuous learning and feedback.”
Coding tools could also play a role, experts suggested, and AI coding assistants represent an excellent opportunity to reduce developer workloads and boost productivity.
A significant portion of developers are optimistic that AI will reduce workloads in the coming years, according to research from CoderPad. A study by recruiting platform found that 70% believe coding assistants will help reduce stress in their daily activities and 60% said they want to use these tools more actively in their work.
Reynolds highlighted the technology as a potential game-changer for developers in the future, allowing them to streamline and eliminate manual processes.
“This will give developers valuable time back,” he said. “In turn, they can unleash their creativity, focus on innovation and experience greater job satisfaction.”
“This will bring considerable benefits to developers and the companies they work for. The results will improve, as will the quality of the software delivered.”
