It is difficult to calculate exactly how many hours of work a developer spends on average. If we talk about hours by project or rate, the cost and work hours will be negotiable. If a developer wants to be paid according to the hours worked, you need to know how the company will form his salary.
In this article, we have gathered information that will help navigate developer salaries. Even if you don’t want to hire developers or a programmer who wants to work in a software development agency, you can use this article to find out how many hours you will work.
Enjoy reading!
What people think
There is an opinion that developers work almost all of their time. If you’re wondering how many working hours a week you get on average, then the figure will range from 100 to 200 hours a month. It is believed that to become a sought-after and experienced specialist, software engineers need to work and develop constantly. This stereotype likely arose because, in society, it is customary to work very much. That’s why newbies try to take on many projects for development.
Many developers like to exaggerate the real-time work to show the importance of their work and the complexity of tasks performed. In addition, such a large number could also influence the requirements of the development giants, whose influence is subject to smaller companies. Nonetheless, with the worldwide pandemic, we are seeing a resurgence of the cult of work-life balance. This trend is also affecting the software developer average work hours.
Overtime doesn’t necessarily mean that a developer is doing more work. Sometimes it suggests that he is cheating his employer in an attempt to make more money. Productivity depends on many factors, and the transition to the remote work format has shown that the number do software developers work long hours is not a measure of developer success.
What Labour Law says
Different countries have different laws regarding the maximum number of hours an employer can require of their employees, including programmers. The average is 40 hours per week and is considered good with two days off. In developed countries, you may see a shorter workday or even a shorter work week of up to four days. While in low-wage countries, video game developer has to work more to get their money’s worth. Nevertheless, even if developers in your country earn little, that doesn’t stop you from making good money. Experienced professionals with knowledge of English can work remotely for large companies. In general, how many hours do software developers work a day depends on many factors.
Well, let’s look at these factors.
Working day length factors
Location
As we said before, if developers in your country are paid little, you can always try to work for another country. The more developed the country and the bigger the company, the more willing they will pay you, and the fewer hours you have to work per month. Large companies do not encourage over time due to the new trends in productivity. Consequently, software developer work hours are less and paid more.
Company type
The best way to gain experience is to practice writing code for a product company. Nevertheless, it is worth bearing in mind that such companies usually imply a lower salary level over time. If you are interested in working less, then look at outsourcing companies.
Overtime pay
Overtime should be well-paid, and preferably the pay for the extra hours should be higher. Sometimes you can’t do it without overtime, even if it’s against company rules. Nevertheless, many companies are now trying to prohibit overtime for web developer work hours.
Cultural differences
Don’t forget the mentality. There are very productive countries that develop a cult of work. It applies primarily to Asian countries. You have probably heard that some big Japanese companies allow their employees to sleep in the workplace. It is because such countries encourage recycling.
At the same time, there are European countries that cultivate productivity not through the number of hours worked, but through rest.
Individual work effectiveness and proficiency
In truth, an 8-hour work schedule does not mean that game developer work hours are more and more. We are all human and can be distracted by a smoke break, lunch, a conversation with colleagues, or a game on the phone. Moreover, it’s impossible to be productive for all 8 hours. Therefore, an employee’s productivity and experience also affect the number of hours per month.
Self-education
Some companies allow their employees to study during working hours. And if you take advantage of this opportunity, you should make sure that the main work is done and does not suffer from training.
Company culture
Your company can regulate the working hours for software developer. Some big companies don’t let their employers work overtime. It is one more and the last factor affecting how many hours web developers work per week.
Work efficiency tips
We have prepared some useful tips to help you work productively and maintain a balance between life and work.
- Use priorities, and do the important tasks first. Productivity falls and rises throughout the day, so keep track of the most productive times and set your tasks for that period.
- Limit the number of work calls and meetings by eliminating the unproductive ones. They simply take up your time.
- Do not take up several tasks at once. To do each of them well, you will need all the attention and time.
- Get quality rest and don’t work on weekends.
We hope that these tips will help you be as productive as possible with as little work time as possible!