Understanding the relationships between the perceptions of burnout and instability in Software Engineering

TL;DR

This study explores the positive correlation between burnout symptoms and perceived instability in software development, highlighting key factors like exhaustion and cynicism among developers.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence linking burnout to various types of instability, offering insights for improving developer well-being and project stability.

Findings

Burnout correlates positively with team, technological, and task instability.

Efficacy negatively correlates with technological and team instability.

Exhaustion is the most common burnout symptom, and task instability is most perceived.

Abstract

Changes are inherent in software development, often increasing developers' perception of instability. Understanding the relationship between human factors and Software Engineering processes is crucial to mitigating and preventing issues. One such factor is burnout, a recognized disease that impacts productivity, turnover, and, most importantly, developers' well-being. Investigating the link between instability and burnout can help organizations implement strategies to improve developers' work conditions and performance. This study aims to identify and describe the relationship between perceived instability and burnout among software developers. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 411 respondents, using convenience sampling and self-selection. In addition to analyzing variable relationships, confirmatory factor analysis was applied. Key findings include: (1) A significant positive relationship between burnout (exhaustion and cynicism) and team, technological, and task instability; (2) A weak negative relationship between efficacy and technological/team instability, with no correlation to task instability; (3) Exhaustion was the most frequently reported burnout symptom, while task instability was the most perceived type of instability. These results are valuable for both industry and academia, providing insights to reduce burnout and instability among software engineers. Future research can further explore the impact of instability, offering new perspectives on monitoring and mitigating its effects in software development.