Udbrændthed af udviklere: Hvordan ledere kan genkende og forhindre det

COVID-19 has increased the need and speed for companies’ digitale transformationer. Mens software udviklere work tirelessly to meet these goals, there’s another thing increasing: burnout. Måneden om mental sundhed is a great reminder that managers must address their software developers’ mental, emotional and physical needs.

Softwareudviklere er ikke fremmede for at arbejde under højt pres og stramme deadlines. Men at stå i spidsen for massive digitale transformationer under COVID-19 betyder, at mange softwareudviklere arbejder med uholdbare hæsblæsende hastigheder for at nå virksomhedens mål. 

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Ifølge en Checkmarx undersøgelse, which analyzed how more than 250 U.S.-based software developers have been impacted by COVID-19 throughout the past year, 46% said the rate at which they’re expected to build and deploy software is faster now compared to before the pandemic. The top work-related challenges software developers faced throughout the pandemic included keeping up with increased development speeds and demands (36%) and collaborating with key teams (e.g., dev, ops and security) while remote (36%). 

“The past year has spurred a significant digital shift driven by software,” said James Brotsos, developer advocate, Checkmarx. “Developers faced immense pressure as they now had to shoulder a bigger load of maintaining business continuity.

“With software deployment, time-to-market has always been a top priority,” he continued. “However, the pandemic made the speed in which these programs need to be developed and activated even more of a priority as organizations were in a race to shift digital, move to the cloud and enhance their software in order to maintain a competitive edge and meet the demands of customers.”

Sådan genkender du udviklerudbrændthed

Ifølge Brotsos kan tegn på udbrændthed omfatte manglende nøgledeadlines, miste motivationen, anmode om sidste øjebliks sygedage, begå mere skødesløse fejl og tegn på frustration og mental træthed.

“If you’re seeing these signs, it’s important to take a moment to evaluate the conditions your developers are working under and provide the necessary resources to address burnout accordingly,” said Brotsos, who recommends regular check-ins and implementing an open-door policy to encourage developers to talk about any issues. 

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Sådan forhindrer du udviklerudbrændthed

“Burnout thrives when there seems to be no end in sight,” said Gabrielle Hendryx-Parker, CEO of Six Feet Up.

For at forhindre udbrændthed opfordrer Six Feet Up til regelmæssigt planlagte og uformelle check-in med direkte rapporter og peers for at fremme en kultur af samarbejde mellem softwareudviklere og ledelse.

“By making it clear to developers that they can request help at any time, we’re creating an environment of positivity where it’s clear we have each other’s back,” she said.

Derudover anbefaler Six Feet Up, at teammedlemmer indstiller arbejdstider, der opnår en ideel balance mellem arbejde og privatliv, tager mentale helbredsdage ud over deres normale PTO og, når det er muligt, arbejder fra nye miljøer, der holder dem opdaterede. 

“Employers should encourage team members to take time off, of course, but companies should also invest in team retreats and special events,” said Hendryx-Parker. “Even the small break provided by a good laugh at work can serve as a de-stressing agent. Animated GIFs, emojis and memes are excellent vehicles for comic relief, and they’re well-suited for team collaboration tools like Slack.” 

Another key to decreasing stress, added Hendryx-Parker, is better aligning one’s natural abilities with the demands of their job. “Don’t ask big-picture thinkers to design new, detailed processes. Don’t put people who love being immersed in tasks into a role that requires a lot of reactivity and embrace of change. Everyone can stretch themselves for a little while, but eventually, the stress builds up,” she said.

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Sådan sikrer du, at udviklere har fleksibilitet og sjov

To curb potential burnout, Chris Lefstad, general manager at Emergent Software, recommends that managers reserve time in individual team members’ schedules each week to work on things outside of their primary project.

“Whether it’s participating in your business’ internal projects, generating quick wins for other clients, advancing their technical skills or contributing to the broader software development community, keeping the variety in their schedules is important in making sure developers stay engaged,” he said. “We believe that by not over-scheduling our development team with heads-down coding work centered around client deadlines, they’re ultimately more productive long term.”

To further engage employees, the company sponsors 100 hours of professional development time each year for every employee, no matter their role, and offers developers flexibility with their work schedules and projects. “Making sure that you’re assigning work that your devs feel is fun and challenging is a great way to utilize their personal strengths and keep them engaged and excited about what they’re doing,” said Lefstad.

Emergent Software also prioritizes successes. “The lines between software projects can feel blurred, and developers don’t get a chance to ‘come up for air’ and reflect on their past project before moving on to the next one,” said Lefstad. “It’s important to take that step back, celebrate wins and create a mental separation between projects so developers don’t feel like the only reward for good work is more work.”

SE: 10 måder at forhindre udviklerudbrændthed (gratis PDF) (TechRepublic)

Managerengagement styrker udviklere

The bottom line is building software should never come at the expense of the developer’s mental and physical health. 

“Having a constant pulse on the morale of your employees and their stress levels will empower you to make the necessary changes before anyone reaches a point of burnout, leading to happier employees, reduced staff turnover and greater software integrity, quality and security,” said Brotsos.

Hendryx-Parker echoed Brotsos’ sentiments. “While stress is something all workers contend with to varying degrees, burnout doesn’t have to be,” she said. “What we’ve learned about employee health and managing stress–both before and during the pandemic era–will be instructive for years to come.”

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