A happy software developer is a more productive developer and a developer is more likely to stay with your company long term. No doubt the question is, what steps do you take as a team leader, manager, or entrepreneur, to keep those developers happy?

What developers need

These important features can ensure that your team of software developers stays happy for as long as possible:

  • The right culture fits. Every software developer wants to work on a brand Naturally, whatever culture you choose to develop, you won't be able to appeal to everyone. For example, some developers will prefer a relaxed and calm environment, while others will prefer an energetic and competitive environment. The key is to stand firm on developing a culture for your business and then actively seek out candidates who want to be a part of that culture. It all starts with the exploration and interview phase; If someone doesn't agree with your culture or has different work values, they may not be worth hiring and retaining.

  • A comfortable environment. All developers want a comfortable place to work, where they have the opportunity to do their best work. Part of this means investing in the right equipment; Every workspace should be equipped with machines and equipment that developers need to get their work done efficiently. Another part of this means paying close attention to your surroundings; more ergonomic furniture, more break room entertainment and something distinctive can get your employees excited about going to the office. Little touches like artwork, music, and relaxing scents can also add up to a big impact.

  • Reasonable reconciliation of personal and work life. While there may be some developers who like the idea of ​​working 80 hours a week and staying in the office overnight to finish a big project, the vast majority will strive for a healthier balance between work and play. life. As your employer, if you want to keep morale high, you must respect your work-life balance.  If you're asking your employees to burn out until midnight, working overtime to meet a tight deadline, make sure they're rewarded appropriately and make sure you're not constantly being so demanding.

  • Continuous learning opportunities. Programming is a field in constant evolution and development. If your developers care about their work, they'll want to stay on top of all this latest knowledge and thinking. You can keep morale high by giving them more opportunities to learn these new skills and ideas, whether that's allowing them to attend industry conferences and meetings or inviting someone to train the team on something new. You could even fund classes where your developers can learn new skills.

  • Room to grow. Nobody likes to be stuck in a job for a long time, especially if they are constantly upgrading their skills and gaining experience. To keep morale high, you need to give your developers an avenue for continued growth. That growth can manifest itself in different ways, depending on what its developers are most interested in achieving. For example, you can give more room for your existing developers to become managers, team leaders, or directors. You could also set a policy that rewards your developers with regular raises or bonuses, as a monetary incentive for continued growth and loyalty.

  • Possibilities to express their opinions (and feel heard). Developers don't want to feel like they exist just to execute lines of code. They want to feel that their opinions matter and are heard. Providing opportunities for your developers to express their thoughts and truly listen to them is imperative to keeping morale high. That means having one-on-one meetings with all of your developers on a regular basis and encouraging employees to speak up when they have a new idea or perspective in group settings, like meetings.

  • Autonomy (up to a certain point). Some research suggests that their long-term happiness is autonomy. Depending on the nature of your organization, this can be difficult to achieve, but try to give your developers as much freedom and power as possible.

Create the perfect environment

There is no single environment that is "perfect" for all developers. Different companies and different people are going to have different preferences. Some of these principles will apply to almost everyone, but others will require foresight and adjustments before you implement them on your own team. Stay flexible and keep making iterative improvements; Eventually, you will find a "sweet spot" for your own team's morale.