job – Devstyler.io https://devstyler.io News for developers from tech to lifestyle Thu, 26 Jun 2025 10:52:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 Working from a hut in Vitosha – mission possible https://devstyler.io/blog/2025/05/30/working-from-a-hut-in-vitosha-mission-possible/ Fri, 30 May 2025 10:51:15 +0000 https://devstyler.io/?p=129760 ...]]> Janeta is the Senior Engineering Manager of the Aristotle Risk Screening team at Paysafe, with nearly 20 years in the IT industry and over 10 years of experience as a software engineer. She has gone through various positions from engineering, and Agile Coaching, to software team manager. Janeta makes sure there are clear goals for the team, helps to optimize the process and teamwork, and is always available for advice or support. The career and personal growth of everyone on her team is a priority for her. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, staying active, and spending time with her family and her two cats, Fifi and Evora. During the summer months, she often works from  Balkanity Hut or Red Riding Hood hut, an opportunity that is part of Paysafe’s social benefits in partnership with the two huts in Vitosha mountain.

How do you enjoy working from an office in nature from two huts in Vitosha? 

Variety in daily life is an important part of the rhythm of work, not only because it improves emotional stability and health, but also because it naturally unlocks human creativity. Because our work in the IT department is not trivial and we don’t always know in advance the steps that will solve the problem at hand, some of the idea generation happens in unconventional places, often away from the computer. In this line of thought, we appreciate very much the flexibility that Paysafe provides us, to work in nature for part of the time, to enjoy the sun, greenery and fresh air.

What are the main advantages for you when working in the mountains compared to working in a traditional office environment? 

Working outdoors in the mountains activates alternative parts of the brain that often get left behind in a predictable office environment where everything looks the same, day after day. In fact, some of our boldest ideas have been generated outside of the regular office environment and the effect on team spirit is unparalleled.

How does this change in environment affect you – do you feel a difference in concentration, motivation or work-life balance? 

I have noticed that after a day like this, all colleagues are extremely energised and I am sure that even after they go home, the feeling remains and they are able to share it with their loved ones. This is the magic of fresh air, open skies and the living forest. For me personally, the feeling after such a day, no matter how busy it was in terms of operational tasks, is like coming back from an outing with friends.

How often do you take this opportunity and does it happen that you work from the hut together with colleagues? 

We use this opportunity the most in the warm season, when the weather is suitable to stay outdoors all day. This means that we open the season from the beginning of June and close it after mid-October when late autumn starts. So far, I have never gone to work from the hut alone, we are always together with colleagues – it is so much more fun, and more productive. Many times we have used these days out to organize workshops with the teams in order to generate ideas, solve a particular problem and bring the team together.

 

How do your family and friends react when they find out you work from a cabin in the mountains?

Some of them, who are not used to the concept, are surprised, even asking me, “Well, how come? Do you manage to do good work from there?” I answer this question with a smile, assuring them that some of our most significant results have been achieved precisely through the unconventional approach, encouraging them to try it too, if of course their employer offers them such flexibility. I have also shown them photos of workshops in nature, where the mood and commitment of the participants is evident. After such a discussion I leave everyone with a curiosity and willingness to try and give something new and different a chance.

What place do nature and the mountains have in your way of working and taking care of yourself?

No matter how advanced we are as a society and technology, nature remains our natural habitat. I am personally of the opinion that without regular contact with it, true and complete human health and happiness is unattainable. That’s why I’ve given this type of activity a central place in my life, taking every possible moment to be outside in the woods or a nearby park. As for outdoor work – it inspires me, refreshes me and brings me new perspectives.

Would you recommend this model of work to colleagues and why?

Not only do I recommend this model of work to colleagues, I directly encourage them and go with them when commitments allow. I have repeatedly recommended working from the mountains to my fellow managers as an excellent prerequisite for running successful team workshops, and quite a few of them have already been convinced by personal experience. I would like to tell everyone who reads these lines not to hesitate and get up in the mountains, try the homemade breakfast softies, open their laptop and see what wonders their mind will create in this environment free from office barriers.

The material and images are provided by Paysafe

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Top 3 Key Elements When Starting a Job as a QA Specialist https://devstyler.io/blog/2024/03/12/top-3-key-elements-when-starting-a-job-as-a-qa-specialist/ Tue, 12 Mar 2024 08:11:39 +0000 https://devstyler.io/?p=119803 ...]]> QA specialists are an integral part of software development. They are the ones who ensure that the final product meets quality standards and that the application is usable in the real world. If you are set on a QA career you should consider which career path you want to take, as QA professionals have several options.

Web application testing, desktop and mobile QA are more common areas for QA professionals, while game testing, security and automation are more narrowly focused. Regardless of the direction you want to take, each path has its unique requirements, although many of the skills overlap.

Today, we’re going to cover the most important tips for getting started as a QA professional, according to Master Born.

1. Know the basics that QA professionals use

Before you embark on this career adventure, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with what others will want from you as a QA professional.

SQL Fundamentals – Regardless of which position you choose, you should know the SQL basics, which are a must for everyone. The ability to extract data from a structured database is essential to verify that a piece of code is secure and stable.

Knowledge of SDLC – As someone who is just starting their career or transitioning from another, different job, you need to know the software development life cycle or SLDC. Knowing the difference between Waterfall and Agile, as well as some of the Agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban, can win you your dream job during an interview.

GIT Basics – GIT is a version control system that you can use to share code with your team. GitHub, GitLab, and BitBucket are the programs that are used in most of the industry. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the basic commands and gain insight into the software.

Soft Skills – Non-technical skills are just as important as technical skills. Highly skilled candidates who cannot work in a team face a lot of competition from less experienced candidates who can, however, work in a team. Among the most sought-after soft skills are: communication, willingness to learn, ability to prioritize, and time management.

2. Know the responsibilities of the QA specialist

A QA specialist ensures software quality before its launch. Beyond testing for bugs, they often spend up to half their time on tasks like documentation, reporting, and process improvement. Understanding test documentation terms like test case, scenario, run, cycle, and plan is crucial. Bug reporting basics are essential too, covered in certification courses. Learning tools like BrowserStack simplifies testing across various devices.

3. Information sources

Let’s not forget that the technological world is one of the fastest growing and the knowledge we have today may not be relevant tomorrow. To build a successful career as a QA professional you need to read constantly and use different but reliable sources of information. This could be different YouTube channels where there are a number of podcasts and videos on QA topics. Other sources of information include ChatGPT and Udemy, which offers several courses for testers to increase their working knowledge, which we think is worth it. There is a lot of valuable knowledge in them that are organized very well.

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Top 5 Best Books on Investing https://devstyler.io/blog/2024/02/13/top-5-best-books-on-investing/ Tue, 13 Feb 2024 07:41:58 +0000 https://devstyler.io/?p=118352 ...]]>

“Don’t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack!”

John Bogle

Books are among the best sources of information, in whose pages there is gathered valuable knowledge and advice that would be of great help to us – both in our personal lives and at work. Regardless of which field we want to develop in, it is always a good idea to add books as part of the path of growth, personal self-improvement and the key “weapons” that would launch us to the top of our career.

And if we choose to immerse ourselves in the world of finance, when it comes to understanding it, rest assured that few solutions are easier, cheaper or more impactful than educating ourselves with the help of a great investing book. Money affects everything we do, so learning how to invest properly early on can make a huge difference in your ultimate success.

It’s important to learn investment terminology. You’ll want to understand the difference between a stock and a bond, how cryptocurrency works, how inflation affects investments, the role of risk tolerance, and how tax efficiency can increase portfolio returns.

Equally important is understanding what money does and doesn’t do for a person seeking to maximize their wealth for future life events. This includes how we interact with money, how family experiences can shape our investment outlook, and how significant debt can be a barrier to achieving our life goals.

Today, we’ll look at a list of the TOP 5 books on investing to read right now.


“The Intelligent Investor”
Author: Benjamin Graham

Originally published in 1949, The Intelligent Investor was long considered the only book you should read to learn the principles of investing. Topics in the book include the concepts of long-term investing and Graham’s philosophy of value investing, giving it a place on every serious investor’s bookshelf. Graham is known not only for his status as the father of value investing, but also for his guidance to the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Warren Buffett, who used Graham’s principles to become arguably the best investor of all time.


“Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger”
Author: Charles T. Munger

Charles Munger, better known as Charlie Munger, may not be familiar to most investors, but his longtime friend and business partner Warren Buffett should be. For decades, Munger was Buffett’s right-hand man, running the Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate and holding company. Considered one of the sharpest business minds of the 20th and 21st centuries. This book is based on 11 lectures Munger gave between 1986 and 2007.


“The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns”
Author: John C. Bogle

Bogle was the late founder of The Vanguard Group and creator of the first index mutual fund. He is known for his principle of investing with purpose, maintaining a long-term goal and reducing internal fees as much as possible. He was also a proponent of dollar cost averaging, a method of consistent and patient investing. Through his book, the reader will understand the differences between prudent investing and speculation. It should come as no surprise that one of the overarching conclusions is that low-cost index funds – Vanguard’s specialty – are a sensible move for most investors.


“A Beginner’s Guide to the Stock Market: Everything You Need to Start Making Money Today”
Author: Matthew R. Kratter

Released in 2019, this book provides a guide for those embarking on their investment journey. Delve into the process of setting up a brokerage account and making your inaugural investment. Authored by Kratter, a former hedge fund manager with firsthand experience of the 2008 market crash. The book equips readers with insights crucial for navigating contemporary market turbulence. It particularly shines in illuminating common pitfalls encountered by beginners.


“Rich Dad Poor Dad”
Author: Robert T. Kiyosaki

For over 25 years, “Rich Dad Poor Dad” has dominated the bestseller lists, narrating Robert Kiyosaki’s personal journey with his two father figures: his own father, portrayed as the “poor dad,” and his friend’s father, the “rich dad.” Through these contrasting experiences, Kiyosaki elucidates strategies for wealth accumulation. The book emphasizes the notion that wealth isn’t solely about affluence but rather about making your money work effectively for you, regardless of your starting point.


If you found this article interesting, stay tuned on Thursday when we will present PART TWO of the best books on investing.


Read more:
1. CEO’s Amazon Prime: “I Have no Plans to Adjust the Prime Team”
2. Microsoft Graph Toolkit 4.0 Now Available
3. Top 8 Best C++ Books for Beginners

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CEO’s Amazon Prime: “I Have no Plans to Adjust the Prime Team” https://devstyler.io/blog/2024/02/12/ceo-s-amazon-prime-i-have-no-plans-to-adjust-the-prime-team/ Mon, 12 Feb 2024 12:56:08 +0000 https://devstyler.io/?p=118341 ...]]> For now, no more jobs will be cut at Amazon Prime, Prime CEO Jamil Ghani told ANP. Amazon cut hundreds of jobs at streaming services Prime Video and Twitch, among others, last month and last year, NL Times reported.

“I have no plans to adjust the Prime team,” Jamil Ghani said during a visit to the Netherlands for an internal conference.

Amazon cut hundreds of jobs at Prime Video last month, explaining that it was taking those measures to cut costs. At Twitch, 35% of jobs were cut, which is about 500 employees.

Maintaining a streaming platform is expensive, and Twitch still doesn’t make enough.

Last year, the company suffered increasingly large job cuts – 18,000 in January and another 9,000 in March.

“There has been generous support from all team members around the world and many people on the Prime team have returned to Amazon in other roles. The team has been very supportive, including myself,” Jamil Ghani said.

He adds that the company finds it difficult to lay off employees and it is the last thing it wants to resort to, but sometimes circumstances do not allow any other choice.

In the last quarter of last year, the company employed more than 1.5 million people. That’s 1% fewer employees than in the final three months of 2022.

In the Netherlands, Amazon officials said the tech company had about 1,250 employees in August, including at its Dutch headquarters in Amsterdam. Amazon says no jobs have been lost at Prime in the Netherlands.

However, Amazon is not the only major company to cut many jobs recently to save costs. Tech giant Microsoft, for example, laid off 1,900 people within the company’s video game division.

eBay also eliminated about 9% of its jobs, which is about 1,000 employees.

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AWS Announced More Amazon SageMaker Updates https://devstyler.io/blog/2023/12/01/aws-announced-more-amazon-sagemaker-updates/ Fri, 01 Dec 2023 12:35:18 +0000 https://devstyler.io/?p=115124 ...]]> Amazon Web Services has announced several more useful updates to Amazon SageMaker, a platform for building, training, and deploying machine self-learning models during AWS re:Invent.

New features have been introduced to the platform that are designed to improve model handling, including the introduction of new classes in the SageMaker Python SDK: ModelBuilder and SchemaBuilder.

ModelBuilder, selects a compatible SageMaker container to deploy to, and captures the necessary dependencies. SchemaBuilder manages the tasks of serializing and deserializing model inputs and outputs.

“You can use the tools to deploy the model in your local development environment to experiment with it, fix any runtime errors, and when ready, transition from local testing to deploy the model on SageMaker with a single line of code”, Antje Barth, principal developer advocate at AWS, wrote in a blog post.

SageMaker Studio has been enhanced with updated deployment workflows, offering guidance to assist in selecting the most optimal endpoint configuration.

Furthermore, SageMaker has received improvements in its inference capabilities, contributing to reduced deployment costs and latency. These enhancements enable the deployment of one or more foundation models on a single endpoint, with control over memory allocation and the number of accelerators assigned to each model.

The system also features automatic monitoring of inference requests, intelligently routing them based on the availability of instances. According to Amazon, this advanced capability has the potential to slash deployment costs by up to 50% and decrease latency by up to 20%.

Additionally, Amazon SageMaker Canvas, a no-code interface designed for constructing machine learning models, has some updates. Users can now leverage natural language prompts during the data preparation process.

Within the chat interface, the application furnishes a variety of guided prompts tailored to the specific database being utilized. Alternatively, users have the flexibility to create their own prompts. For instance, they can instruct the system to generate a data quality report, filter out rows based on specific criteria, and perform various other tasks.

Moreover, users now have the ability to incorporate foundation models from Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker Jumpstart. This added capability empowers companies to deploy models specifically tailored to their unique business requirements.

SageMaker Canvas takes charge of the entire training process, facilitating fine-tuning of the model post-creation. Additionally, it offers an in-depth analysis of the generated model, presenting metrics such as perplexity and loss curves, training loss, and validation loss.

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Chaos at OpenAI, Hundreds of Employees Will Leave if Fired Sam Altman Is Not Returned https://devstyler.io/blog/2023/11/21/chaos-at-openai-hundreds-of-employees-will-leave-if-fired-sam-altman-is-not-returned/ Tue, 21 Nov 2023 09:49:34 +0000 https://devstyler.io/?p=114449 ...]]> The chaos at OpenAI has escalated even further as the majority of the company’s employees have expressed their intention to resign if the board does not step down and reinstate former CEO Sam Altman and former president Greg Brockman, NewsAblive reported. According to reports from Wired and Kara Swisher, about 500 employees, including several CEOs, at OpenAI have signed the letter.

According to Bloomberg’s latest data, more than 700 employees are prepared to leave if the fired Sam Altman and Greg Brockman are not returned to their positions at the company.

CTO Mira Murati, who briefly took over the leadership role over the weekend, stressed at X that “OpenAI is nothing without its people.”

Altman and Brockman are said to have been involved in key discussions with the OpenAI board over the weekend in a bid to win back their positions. However, those talks did not result in a favorable outcome for the former CEO and chairman. Late on Sunday evening, it was revealed that the board had chosen to appoint former Twitch CEO Emmett Shearer as interim CEO of OpenAI, developer of the viral artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT.

Shear, the co-founder of Twitch, served as the company’s CEO until March of this year. In a surprising move, he resigned just before a significant round of layoffs, and Twitch experienced another round of layoffs last month.

Concurrently, the unexpected leadership shift at OpenAI has raised eyebrows, given Altman’s prominent role as the face of generative AI and his pivotal contribution to transitioning the AI firm from a non-profit organization to a commercially viable entity.

It’s worth noting that Altman’s departure from the company was reportedly due to a perceived lack of transparency in his communications, as reported by the media. Allegedly, he clashed with board members who expressed concerns about the pace of his initiatives, particularly regarding the safety implications of a technology that, if unregulated, could produce content with potential harm to the public. Shear’s appointment at OpenAI follows Altman’s dismissal on Friday, with the board citing a lack of “consistent candor in his communications.”

Will Sam Altman be brought back or will OpenAI remain uncompromising in its decision? Keep an eye out for details.

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Computer Science: the Career Choice That Will Make You Rich https://devstyler.io/blog/2023/11/17/computer-science-the-career-choice-that-will-make-you-rich/ Fri, 17 Nov 2023 13:57:12 +0000 https://devstyler.io/?p=114234 ...]]> Computer science is a rapidly growing field that can make you rich. The job market for computer professionals is booming with the growing demand for technology in almost every industry.

Despite the trend of layoffs by major tech companies, projections show that the tech market will recover faster than we even expect. Technology is constantly evolving, and computer professionals and those with a technical mindset are driving this revolution. The skills we acquire in computer science can lead to high-paying jobs in a variety of fields, such as software development, data analysis and artificial intelligence.

In this post, we will look at how opting for a career in computer science gives a professional a chance of a good and secure future with a high-paying job and a successful career, according to Dev Internships.

How To Get Rich From Computer Science

1. Work At A Large Tech Company
According to data from Glassdoor, the average base salary for a software developer at Google is around $120,000 per year, while the average base salary for a software developer at Facebook is around $130,000 per year. However, senior developers and team managers can earn a lot more.

Additionally, as a developer at one of these companies, you’ll receive bonuses and stock options as part of your compensation package which can greatly appreciate as the company grows in value. Considering the high salary, large bonuses, and stock options, you can quickly earn enough to become rich if you keep your living expenses low and manage your money well.

2. Work At A Start-Up
On the other end of the spectrum, working at a budding tech company that has potential can also make you rich. In fact, if you end up at the right company at the right time and stick it out, this can be a much better option than working at a large tech company. Imagine working at Facebook when it was small and helping it grow until it went public.

The main reason why this can be a better option (why it can make you even more money) than working at an established company is that the stock you would receive as compensation has more growth potential.

However, there is also more risk with this option if you take a good portion of your compensation from stock options. If the company doesn’t grow into the next unicorn and perhaps even fizzles out, then your stock would become worthless.

3. Grow A Large Tech YouTube Channel
One of my favorite YouTube channels is Tech With Tim. He recently reached over 1,000,000 subscribers on his channel which is amazing. However, when he had just under 400,000 subscribers, he showed how much money his channel made.

At that point, his channel made more than $7,000 per month in ad revenue alone. Tim admitted that this wasn’t even the majority of the money that he earned from his channel. He made most of his YouTube income from affiliate sales and sponsored videos. Now that his channel has over 1,000,000 subscribers, I would guess he earns more than $50,000 per month.

Additionally, Tim has participated in and started other businesses that he is able to jump-start simply by mentioning them to his large audience. If you want to start your own YouTube channel, there are a few ways to potentially monetize it:

  • Advertising revenue: As your channel grows in popularity, you can apply to join the YouTube Partner Program, which allows you to monetize your videos through ads.
  • Sponsorships: As your channel gains traction, you may be able to secure sponsorships or brand deals to promote products or services related to technology.
  • Affiliate marketing: You can also earn money by including affiliate links in your video descriptions, which allow you to earn a commission on any sales made through those links.
  • Creating and selling your own products: As your channel grows, you can leverage your audience to sell your own products or services, such as an online course, e-book, or merchandise.

4. Create Your Own Business
As a Computer Science graduate, this is my dream. And the best part is that it’s totally possible to get rich by creating your own tech company. It’s happening now more than ever. Especially now that A.I. has become ubiquitous, it’s not difficult to leverage the web and A.I. to start a business and become rich.

Here are a few examples of AI-based companies that you could potentially create:

  • A healthcare AI company that utilizes machine learning algorithms to improve medical imaging and diagnostic accuracy.
  • A retail AI company that uses natural language processing and computer vision to improve the online shopping experience.
  • A financial AI company that uses predictive analytics to help businesses and individuals make better investment decisions.
  • A transportation AI company that uses real-time data and machine learning to optimize delivery routes and reduce fuel consumption.
  • A manufacturing AI company that uses machine learning to improve quality control and predict maintenance needs for manufacturing equipment.
  • An HR AI company that uses natural language processing and machine learning to improve the recruitment and performance evaluation processes.
  • A security AI company that uses computer vision and machine learning to improve surveillance and detect potential security threats.

These are just a few examples, but there are many other industries and applications that AI can be used for. It’s important to research and identify the area that you have more knowledge or interest in and that you see a potential opportunity to solve a problem or improve a process.

5. Invest In Tech
The last way to get rich from Computer Science is to be an investor. Sometimes, it takes money to make money. And if you have money, tech is a great place to put it if you want it to grow. Granted, the tech sector is always shifting so you have to stay on top of trends and current news or risk your money going the way of MySpace.

One way to invest in the tech sector is to buy stocks in technology companies that you believe will perform well in the future. You can do this by opening a brokerage account and buying individual stocks, or by investing in technology-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds.

Another option is to invest in venture capital funds that focus on technology startups, which can offer the potential for high returns but also come with a higher level of risk. It’s important to do your own research and consult a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

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The Biggest Challenges for the Engineering Manager https://devstyler.io/blog/2023/11/13/the-biggest-challenges-for-the-engineering-manager/ Mon, 13 Nov 2023 13:25:22 +0000 https://devstyler.io/?p=113806 ...]]> Being an engineering manager can be a huge challenge. One day you’re developing and reviewing code. The next day, you’re responsible for not just individuals, but multiple teams. And the ultimate goal is to not only complete the project successfully, but to maintain productivity among your teams and make your people feel good.

Every engineering manager is different, as are their roles, responsibilities, and ideas for improving their teams. However, across the spectrum, there are a few common challenges that every manager faces when entering the software industry.

The Biggest Challenges for the Engineering Manager

High SDLC Blockers, and Low Workflow Visibility
Today’s SDLC is driven by the culture of continuous improvement and ongoing iterations. It is an engineering manager’s role to figure out the impediments their devs face, challenges in delivering results, or the processes needing some optimization. A weak SDLC is a silent velocity killer, yet most managers find it challenging to know the ‘what’ and ‘why’ behind it. While talking to 100s of EM, we found that managers do know something in their present process is lagging, and have metrics results as north-stars; they just don’t have the right indicators or approach to move forward. One reason behind the persistent manager conundrum is limited visibility.

Most managers we talked to struggled because their teams were not making enough deliveries, and deemed ‘slow’. Looking at the cycle time metric gave them limited value, however, after centralizing all process indicators in one place, they could see that devs were working outside work hours, and the workload became unendurable. Only when managers got full-fledged visibility into the issue, they could create a plan of action, reconfigure the team’s time and tasks, and earn trust of teammates.

Broken Communication
Alignment issues and context switching between software teams are real, and most engineering managers have largely recognized the persistent issue. And that’s where the second top challenge of an engineering manager lies- to resolve communication debts stemming out of the two.

Engineering managers need to be constantly updated with their dev’s work items. The idea is to take stock of the present team status: what the engineers are doing, their blockers, and how to move forward. That’s why standups were originally invented. But, most standups today are more or less about status updates and rarely end with some constructive feedback, or discussing blockers.

Even after hour-long calls, devs might not have clarity over how to resolve their blockers. Ever happened to know that your devs are frustrated because of work, but couldn’t figure out why? Pining devs for constant updates might alienate them from managers- their best buddies/mentors/support system at work. Ongoingly, it can hurt the team’s focus hours irrevocably, even hurting developer productivity. EMs now need to find a balance between taking status updates, and ‘qualitatively’ resolving dev barriers.

Developer Burnout
When it comes to the developer ecosystem, everything is related and interconnected. Developer burnout has become a common workplace phenomenon, with over 82% of developers going through reversal burnout symptoms. An engineering manager is considered a pillar of support for their devs and is expected to help navigate the crisis with much empathy, and a plan of action to get them back in shape, and spirits.

However, managers cannot be of much help to devs if they don’t know what causes this alienation in the first place. Figuring out the reasons for your dev’s withdrawal, and lacking enthusiasm is a key priority challenge for leaders today. In the same survey above, 77% of developers have accepted that their managers are not aware of what’s happening. The causes could be anything; from overwhelming adhoc requests to dysfunctional work conditions, incident alerts, and debugging outside work hours. Since EMs are already dealing with work visibility challenges, these signs often come too late to them. By then, either their high-performing devs quit, become disengaged, or face a powerful loss in their productivity.

Unsustainable Workload
Workload distribution among members may sound like a direct task, but it’s complicated and hands down, one of the hardest for an engineering manager. In a SmartBrief survey, only 29% of engineering leaders were fairly confident of their workload distribution. The issue rapidly snowballs into frustrated devs if managers have low visibility into the engineering workloads (the big deal about visibility, eh?). Sometimes, the work allotment is done without accounting for geographical barriers, past trends of progress, and existing work share. Your next sprints are destined to go down if devs are not able to clear their previous backlogs owing to overburdening work.

Poor Developer Experience
Devs are good at switching teams, based on their career progress, happiness, or overall satisfaction. However, for EMs, this transition is like a double-edged sword- core hours devoted by devs per project are decreasing, while the training, and recruiting time keeps increasing. And that’s why protecting developer experience by managers becomes vital to the future of a company.

Good DX doesn’t necessarily have to follow Steve Jobs’ come-make-it-your-world approach, so much as it’s about improving a developer’s involvement, and satisfaction with the current workflow. If your current process has long code review periods, workload imbalance, security issues, frequent firefighting, flaky builds, high incident and interview workloads, and devs had to undergo frequent context switching and technical debt; then your life as an engineering manager might take a lot of toils.

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How to Create a More Pleasant Working Atmosphere in TECH Office https://devstyler.io/blog/2023/10/30/how-to-create-a-more-pleasant-working-atmosphere-in-tech-office/ Mon, 30 Oct 2023 11:41:20 +0000 https://devstyler.io/?p=112891 ...]]> Happy employees drive success in large corporations and small businesses alike

In the tech business world, the secret to success lies in employee satisfaction. Recent studies highlight the key role of employee happiness, showing that it has a significant impact on motivation, productivity and innovation. The extra effort that happy employees put in is not an obligation, but a genuine desire to contribute even more to the company they work for. Remarkably, studies show that employees who are happy and satisfied in their jobs are 48.4% more likely to stay with the same company and work for its success, giving their all.

On the other hand, the consequences of unhappy and dissatisfied employees are a serious problem for businesses. Employee dissatisfaction leads to annual financial losses of a staggering $300 billion, according to a study, which is attributed to increased sick leave, absenteeism and an increase in workplace errors.

In a fast-paced industry like tech, a pleasant work atmosphere is key to the well-being of a company’s employees and the sense of comfort they feel despite being away from home. And when an employee feels comfortable and “in place,” they are productive, motivated and full of interesting ideas and a desire to work.

Today we will introduce you to the top 5 ideas on how to create a more pleasant working atmosphere in your tech office according to Hiveage.

How to Create a More Pleasant Working Atmosphere in TECH Office

Bring in natural lighting to the work environment
Not only does natural lighting look better, but there is a strong connection between natural light in the workplace and employees’ quality of sleep and energy. Neurology researchers at Northwestern University found that people who work in offices with windows receive 173 percent more white light (i.e. light from the sun) during work hours and sleep an extra 46 minutes every night. Workers were better rested and therefore in a better frame of mind.

Create a clean and comfortable office space
It doesn’t take a psychologist to tell you that when you are in an area that is attractive, comfortable, and pleasant, you feel better. This is true of both the home and the work environment, so be sure to clear away clutter and broken equipment, and mend flickering light bulbs and temperamental air conditioning or heating units. And though it may not seem like a big deal, invest in new, ergonomic furniture, plants, updated equipment, and quality coffee and snacks. Your staff will not only appreciate that their well-being is important to you, but they’ll be energetically affected by the space in a positive way.

Provide quiet rooms for employees
Open office layouts are a necessity in many cases, but you should consider providing a few areas where employees can retreat if they need quiet or solitude to concentrate on a difficult project. It can cut down on the stress and interruptions, which improves mood and productivity. You might also think about providing nap rooms, for which Google (among others) is famous. Studies show that a 20 or 30 minute power nap is better than a cup of coffee to boost energy for those people who regularly work long hours, engage in intensive, complicated work, or travel to out-of-town bureaus.

Have an open-door policy for team members
Employees report higher job satisfaction and are more likely to stay at a job where they feel listened to and appreciated. One way to do this is to ensure transparency between managers and workers because conflicts often surface when employees feel left out of the loop or like they are merely indentured laborers. Make it known that you are always available for questions, comments, and concerns. And “open door” should be taken literally—keeping the door open encourages friendly communication.

Equip the office with recreational areas for employees
If you can, make room for outdoor hoops or an indoor ping pong table. Team members will enjoy having a place to get a little exercise or to blow off some steam between tasks. Plus, friendly games with others can lead to better rapport and team cohesion.

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When is the Time to Ask for a Salary Raise? https://devstyler.io/blog/2023/10/27/when-is-the-time-to-ask-for-a-salary-raise/ Fri, 27 Oct 2023 10:00:03 +0000 https://devstyler.io/?p=112690 ...]]> In the world of career advancement, time can be of the essence. If you’ve recently started a new job, it’s advisable to be patient and wait at least six months before considering a salary increase. Studies have shown that most employers are willing to give salary increases to employees who have dedicated one or more years to their organization.

For those dedicated long-time employees who have passed several milestones in the company’s development, the opportunity to ask for a raise is much greater than new hires who are still wandering among tasks. However, if a junior employee is doing an excellent job, is ambitious and is achieving significant results, then it may be time for an additional incentive or salary increase.

Whether you’re a junior or senior employee you should be well aware of when it’s time to ask for an increase in the pay you receive. And if you feel that the time has already come when you need to have a thorough conversation with your employer, then make sure first whether that time has really come or whether it’s just inflation or impatience pressuring you.

Reasons to get a raise

You have more responsibilities
As your tenure with a company progresses, it’s common to take on increasingly intricate tasks and obligations compared to your initial role. Over time, you should expect a higher compensation when transitioning into a more advanced position.

You got a promotion
Prior to accepting it, ensure that the new role comes with a corresponding increase in your compensation. Without a salary boost, you might find yourself taking on additional responsibilities without any additional pay.

You have been with the company for a while
For companies to retain their employees, it’s essential that they offer competitive salaries. As the cost of living continues to rise, your compensation should also reflect these changes. Employers should consistently evaluate the appropriate remuneration for individuals in your position and make salary adjustments accordingly.

If you found the article interesting and useful, find out what are the right ways to ask for a salary rise without breaking good manners or achieving the opposite effect and angering your boss.

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