Inefficiency in software development does not arise in the code. It arises within the company environment.
Prague, April 28, 2025 – According to surveys, developers in companies lose too much time on activities that are not directly related to their core work. Instead of writing code, they deal with access issues, unclear tasks, or technical problems that should be eliminated by the system, not by people. On average, they spend only 52 minutes per day on uninterrupted coding. This is mostly not caused just by technological complexity, but by poor communication, unclear processes, and an environment that hinders concentration. According to Stratox and their platform CodeNOW, this is a systemic problem that reduces companies’ performance, capacity, and team motivation. The solution exists – simply give developers back their time by creating good conditions for real work and removing unnecessary obstacles.
According to the international Code Time Report survey, developers spend on average only 52 minutes per day on continuous, uninterrupted coding – deep work that brings the highest value. The rest of their working hours are often fragmented by meetings, operational tasks, and context switching.
Coding usually starts around 10 a.m., but the largest volume of work – up to 45% of all code – is produced in the afternoon between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. The morning hours are significantly less productive (only 10% of code), which suggests they are overwhelmed with operational issues and meetings. This explains why developers have so little time for real, deep work.
“Developers often don’t know what their actual responsibilities are. When they encounter a problem, they have no idea whom to turn to. Instead of focused work, they deal with process chaos and overload. The result is overwhelm, frustration, and a drop in motivation. It helps greatly when the team has clearly defined roles, knows who is responsible for what, has clear accountabilities, and functional communication channels,” says Petr Svoboda, CEO of Stratox.
Inefficiency arises not in the code, but in management
A key barrier to effective development is unclear team collaboration settings. There is no clear division of responsibilities, communication is informal and unstructured, and developers often don’t know exactly what to do or whom to ask when problems arise. “In such an environment, it is difficult to admit overload or point out inefficiency. Teams then don’t work optimally, capacities are fragmented, and real performance falls short of potential. At the same time, teams lack a culture of feedback, so overload is not addressed in time. The result is often silent burnout, demotivation, and people leaving,” Svoboda points out.
Focused work as a scarce commodity
Deep concentration is crucial in technical professions, but in practice, there is often no space for it. Developers are frequently interrupted, must switch between different types of tasks, and handle operational complications instead of development itself. This lowers efficiency and output quality. The work environment is also a significant factor. Every team works differently, and each developer has their own habits. “Successful companies take this into account and create conditions that respect individual needs and enable uninterrupted work,” Svoboda reminds.
One reason why these situations often go unaddressed, according to Stratox, is that companies themselves are unaware of the problem. They have no idea how much time developers spend on activities that could be automated or completely eliminated. Without clear processes and systemic support, people try to handle things themselves, leading to long-term overload. It is not necessary to change everything at once. In many cases, a few small steps have an immediate impact.
Step-by-step changes
Stratox recommends gradual implementation of changes. Instead of large reorganizations, it is better to focus on specific problems and solve them step by step. The foundation is to clearly define responsibilities and state who is in charge of what. Everyone on the team should know their tasks and whom they can approach. Equally important is to eliminate unnecessary operational tasks that delay developers from their real work. If they spend too much time obtaining access or configuring environments, something is set up incorrectly. Changes should be introduced gradually so the team can adapt without losing rhythm. Supporting improvement proposals coming directly from team members has also proven effective over the long term. They often see best what doesn’t work and have ideas how to do it better.
“Change does not have to be a revolution. It’s enough to start where things stick the most. But above all – start. Because the biggest mistake is standing still and waiting for things to improve on their own,” concludes Petr Svoboda.
Stratox helps its clients eliminate inefficiency in development not only through expert consulting but also with its platform CodeNOW, which supports developer teams at every stage of the software development lifecycle, from design to operations. It integrates dozens of development and automation tools, accelerating cloud application development and enabling faster delivery of business value.