A survey on the impact of emotions on the productivity among software developers

TL;DR

The paper investigates how software developers' emotional state influences perceived productivity, addressing the paucity of robust, instrument-validated evidence in industry settings. It uses a two-stage approach with expert validation of measurement indicators (ES and PP) and a subsequent survey analyzed via Partial Least Squares SEM, finding a strong positive effect ($\beta = 0.893$, $p < 0.001$) and substantial explanatory power ($R^2 = 0.797$). The study contributes by re-operationalizing emotional state and perceived productivity, demonstrating significant practical implications for emotion management, burnout reduction, and emotion-aware practices in software teams. It also highlights methodological considerations and calls for longitudinal, cross-cultural, and team-level research to deepen understanding of how emotions shape software productivity.

Abstract

The time pressure associated with software development, among other factors, often leads to a diminished emotional state among developers. However, whether emotions affect perceived productivity remains an open question. This study aims to determine the strength and direction of the relationship between emotional state and perceived productivity among software developers. We employed a two-stage approach. First, a survey was conducted with a pool of nine experts to validate the measurement model. Second, a survey was administered to a pool of 88 software developers to empirically test the formulated hypothesis by using Partial Least Squares, as the data analysis method. The results of the path analysis clearly confirm the formulated hypothesis, showing that the emotional state of a software developer has a strong positive, and significant impact (beta = 0.893, p < 0.001) on perceived productivity among software developers. The findings highlight the importance of managing and improving developers emotional well-being to enhance productivity in software development environments. Additionally, interventions aimed at reducing burnout, stress, and other negative factors could have a considerable impact on their performance outcomes.