The Five Things Software Engineers Hate About Their Jobs

…and what you can do about it.

Mikael Vesavuori

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I am absurdly interested in how organizations with a big software engineering base can grow better. Before we get better, though, we need to see where we are right now.

During a lazy Saturday, I read and collected a lot of candid opinions on what actual, real software engineers have to say about what they hate about their work. Then, I took some organizational assistance from ChatGPT for my data, also asking for some additional general information in this area, and sprinkled a fair bit of own analysis, pruning and experience on top like a tasty pizza. Let’s look at the results below!

It’s important to note that each organization is unique, and the specific actions needed to address these negative conditions may vary. Organizations should assess their current situation, involve employees in the process of identifying improvement areas, and tailor strategies and actions to their specific needs and culture. One way of doing so is to run surveys, such as the SPACE or DevEx surveys.

Why do software engineers hate their jobs?

These are the top 5 categories with examples.

Interpersonal issues

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