The landscape of software engineering has been significantly altered by the advent of hybrid work, ushering in both new challenges and opportunities. This paper delves into the key challenges developers face, the barriers to their productivity, and potential solutions at individual, team, and organizational levels. Since the pandemic, the flexibility of work location has become a central aspect, with developers who lack this flexibility showing a higher propensity to seek new jobs. However, this flexibility introduces unique challenges that organizations must address to maintain an efficient workforce. Despite its promise, the hybrid work model is still a work in progress, with issues like the blurring of work-life boundaries and 'productivity paranoia.' This study, which analyzes over 3,400 survey responses from 28 companies across seven countries, seeks to understand how hybrid work affects software engineers and whether it truly enhances their work and personal lives.

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Authors

Brian Houck
Henry Yelin
Jenna Butler
Nicole Forsgren
Alison McCartin

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