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 exciting subject of analysis and discussion. In this paper, attention is focused on diagnosing the working environment of software development teams. The authors conducted research aimed at searching for and identifying the factors and conditions impacting the efficiency of development teams in remote working conditions. The study used a multi-method approach (survey and desk research methods), 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 primary conclusion from the research is that programmers mainly 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. Therefore, the challenge for companies is ensuring 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 the techniques and tools already implemented for remote and/or hybrid work to potentially improve such work in the future and the softer, social aspects that equally strongly determine the effectiveness of teams and entire organizations.

I. Introduction

The management of IT, which seeks to ensure optimal use of IT resources to achieve organizational business goals, has been a severe topic for study for several decades, especially for companies whose competitive position depends on modern technologies and their continuous improvement. Successful use of a company’s knowledge assets falls under the purview of knowledge management (KM), and the soft or tacit knowledge transferred between employees is most valued of all (Busch, 2008). Such companies constantly explore the most favorable arrangement of elements such as IT infrastructure, security, cost, and team management. The latter element, i.e., efficient management of IT teams, including management of development teams, is becoming a critical element for IT and telecommunications companies in the era of dynamic development of ICT technology and global increase in demand for IT specialists.