Programming teams in remote working environments: an analysis of performance and productivity

The management of IT teams, due to the deficit of IT specialists noticeable in many countries, coupled with the working conditions changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the changing and increasingly challenging expectations of employees - especially in the IT industry, appears to be an interesting subject of analysis and discussion. In this paper, attention is focused on the diagnosis of the working environment of software development teams. The authors conducted research aimed at searching for and identifying the factors and conditions having the greatest impact on the efficiency of development teams in remote working conditions. The study used a multi-method approach (survey method and desk research method), with data triangulation (primary data obtained in surveys and secondary data). The main contribution here is the identification and analysis of factors determining the efficiency and effectiveness of development teams. The basic conclusion from the research is that programmers largely evaluate the possibility of remote work very positively and generally do not notice the impact of this form of work on the decrease in team productivity. Selected groups perceive the lack of direct meetings/discussions as a significant limitation. The challenge for companies is therefore to ensure efficient communication between all team members, especially those lesser experienced along with managers responsible for coordinating work and the fair allocation of tasks. We explore directions for further research and research questions, regarding not only the techniques and tools already implemented for remote and/or hybrid work to potentially improve such work in the future, but also the softer, social aspects that equally strongly determine the effectiveness of teams and entire organizations.