The trend of remote work has continued since the pandemic. The increase in productivity in remote teams has led to this continuation rather than the anticipated decline.
Remote work is a concept that has existed in the software industry for many decades. Some companies use it to hire remote software developers. The pandemic has caused a massive migration of workers to remote work in a way that's never been done before.
This article will discuss some pros and cons of hiring remote developers. This can help you make the best decision.
Companies that are just starting may find it easier to hire remote developers or manage remote work than others.
This cannot be easy if you are a business trying to hire remote workers for the first time. Before making any important decisions, there are many things to consider. It is important to consider and evaluate all your options before making the right decision for you and your company.
Most software developers prefer remote working options because of the greater flexibility that remote working offers compared to the conventional workplace.
There's always another side to the coin. Even though it may seem like working with remote software developers is a great idea, you will still face some roadblocks and disadvantages.
Business leaders need to decide if remote working will benefit their company. What's more, what is better than having a professional team of remote developers that are competent and ready to give 100% to your project?
Since then, businesses have decided to create hybrid or completely remote environments. No industry has experienced this change more than the small software development sector.
It can go quickly if you need to become more familiar with a remote software development environment's nuances. Our blog today provides a comprehensive guide and will provide you with a wealth of information. This article will show you how to allow remote working for your software development team without compromising workflow, delivery, or security.
What Is Remote Development?
It is a form of software development in which team members work at different locations. It could be:
- Joining a Team of Contractors.
- Employees who are temporarily out of the office.
- Team members working at separate corporate offices.
- Team members work at home for a variety of reasons.
- Working as a distributed team of developers.
Most companies have their policies on how to handle remote development. Some companies embrace Agile Development, using Scrum with true pair or mob programming.
Some teams may prefer the waterfall approach, with each member working independently on one feature. Other teammates can be enlisted to help with design, functionality, or mentoring sessions.
Why Should You Consider Remote Development?
Remote development depends almost exclusively on the policy and implementation by the organization. Most companies now have hybrid work environments, where employees only visit the office once or twice weekly.
Some businesses focus on the importance of flexibility in hiring and consider fully remote workers to support their local development team.
Remote deployment is a powerful tool for any business, regardless of its operating model. This is particularly true in a more connected world than ever, where Zoom calls, and Slack messaging keep everyone on the team working together.
What are the benefits of remote development?
1. it is Cost-Effective
Finance is the department that most businesses immediately benefit from. Most developers have a personal laptop that can be used for work projects.
The majority of the globe is online due to high-speed Internet connectivity.
The setup should then be easy for all involved. If they do not, or if you are uncomfortable with developers using personal devices to work on projects for your company, you can issue laptops.
These computers are a great investment but will last many years. You can even pass them on to new developers once the current ones finish their contracts.
Renting office space can save companies hundreds of thousands each year. One of the main reasons that most companies have opted to adopt a "remote-only" policy is that they cannot afford to rent a dedicated office space.
It would help if you used a server to connect all your employees to a company database. This will make all the information on the company's "premises" accessible.
2. Global Access To Talent
In the case of remote development, companies are not geographically restricted in their hiring. The net can be spread wider for job posts when you have resources from around the globe as candidates.
The talent can reside offshore, on a different continent, or even in another city. It could also be in a different time zone. If the resource has the basic skills to start working for the business, they can be employed based on their expertise and skill level.
So, they can hire the most talented people for their development teams and benefit from a more qualified team. Another great choice is to outsource software development.
Our team is made up of highly skilled programmers from around the globe. Our developers have extensive experience in developing all types of products. Whether you want to create a mobile app or a new website, we can help.
3. Productivity Enhancement
As we've discussed before, remote teams are no longer considered a nuisance. According to research, almost 85 percent of remote employees confirm their productivity is higher than in an office.
There are numerous reasons why productivity increases. The developers save time by not having to travel to work and other expenses associated with traveling and commuting.
Software engineers can also need help adapting to new work environments. They may find that there are more distractions in the office than they do at home.
Some people can't handle such a challenge, and the lack of a manager to look over their shoulder prevents developers from being able to work with passion.
Remote setups allow for a lot less micromanagement in the development team. Employees are also more productive even when they take a break.
4. You Can Connect From Anywhere
Cloud-based developer workspaces allow remote teams to connect regardless of their physical location. Cloud IDEs, remote desktop software (VNC), and cloud-based IDEs can help businesses ensure their teams work as safely at home as in the office.
5. You Can Use Any Device
Developers can access their workspaces from any device, including an iPad. This is because computing-intensive tasks like compilation and assembly are done on the cloud.
Virtual machines can be set up and connected to the company's server. They remain part of IP. This is better than local machines because it allows users to log into the computer and start working from anywhere in the world with only an internet connection.
6. Secure Source Code
Most cloud-based IDEs do not require the source code to be moved from the cloud. The developer's laptops are not used.
Instead, the workspaces remain in repositories or on the Kubernetes Cluster (or Docker), where they reside.
Also Read: Reasons Why Your Businesses Need To Hire Remote Developers
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Three Best Practices For Remote Developers
You'll need to implement several best practices once you create a remote team and have the appropriate technological tools to help them.
This will allow you to maximize the advantages while minimizing the disadvantages. Start with:
1. Monitor And Update Workflow
It is important to track team productivity remotely in the same way that you would do so in an office. It's not a way to eliminate the least productive members of the team but rather to identify and explore efficiencies.
As remote working is a relatively new concept for many people, and companies are still learning about it, it's important to identify potential problems early on and to be open to adapting and experimenting.
2. Discover Ways To Remain Social
The natural collaboration and rapport between in-house teams are unavailable to remote teams. Remote developers can become difficult to supervise and fall out of the loop when they can no longer hear conversations in the office.
How to get around the issue:
- Introduce accountability.
- Prioritize collaboration and teamwork.
- Build rapport by establishing regular communication between members of the team.
Ensure that all team members have the same information. Praise and criticism should be expressed as clearly as possible.
3. Lean Into Collaboration
Remote development allows team members to be in different time zones. This can help support and improve products 24/7 without compromising schedules.
As you collaborate with different developers, it opens up new creative possibilities. Incorporate these subtleties into your everyday workflow. This is an opportunity for you to work more efficiently and not harder.
Could you take it?
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What Is Remote Agile Development, And Can It Be Done?
Agile Software Development is an approach that iterates software development and adheres to the principles outlined by the Manifesto for Agile Software Development.
Collaboration between cross-functional, self-organizing teams is required. The project aims to deliver high-quality, rapid software in an environment where teams can easily respond to changes.
Agile teams can be remote or full-time. Face-to-face communications can be kept with Zoom, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Agile can be implemented in a variety of ways.
- Scrum
- Kanban
- Pair Programming
- The Mob Program
- Extreme Programming
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Setting Up A Remote Development Environment
Security is one of the factors that are often overlooked in remote development. It can be a crippling factor to your business.
If your data's security and protection are prioritized, these advantages will be recovered.
Creating a policy that promotes the best practices and ensures that your employees know the policy is important.
They should also have a backup plan for the rare event that a breach occurs. How to get started?
Create A Remote Access Security Policy
When you decide to implement remote development for your company, a comprehensive plan will be needed. Will you provide devices, or are employees using their computers? Each has pros and cons.
Bring Your Own Device Policy (BYOD). You will need one if your employees are allowed to use their own equipment.
To minimize the risk of data breaches and ensure that all remote working changes are implemented, ensure employees have updated versions of their antivirus and operating systems.
Your IT department should have access to back-end authentications and permissions if you require device access. Reduce your dependency on the teams, and teach them how to secure their workstations.
Employees can reduce the risk of online browsing by using strong passwords and ensuring that WiFi and sites are secured.
Using a dedicated SSH Key to set up Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and SSH connections can reduce risk in a remote environment.
Prepare A Response Plan
It would be best to have a plan of action if a breach occurs. This is not a question you want to be asked after a disaster.
Consider your disaster response plan an insurance policy. Even though precautionary steps can be sufficient, having an option that is a failsafe will make you feel more secure.
Prepare your responses to hacking and data breaches and how you will minimize any damage already done. This will not only help to control a disaster but also help your business in difficult times.
5 Proven Techniques To Lead A Great Remote Development Team
You'll need to make the most of your development team after you have hired the top developers. To lead your team well, consider the points below.
1. Communicate
A good communication system is essential for any team's success, not only remote ones. If you lead a remote team, clearly communicate its goals and ensure each member understands their part in achieving them.
It is important to encourage overcommunication as it will ensure the presence of communication in an office.
It is important to ensure your team stays on track by holding daily Scrums and weekly reports. The minutes of every meeting should also be meticulously kept.
This will keep the team on track and is a great way to catch up with team members who miss meetings.
2. Establish Work Schedules
As a team leader, it's important to communicate expectations regarding your team members' schedules. Don't lock down everything.
Allow your team members some flexibility. Meetings, for example, are important aspects of productivity and should be scheduled. Communication is essential for flexible schedules.
To avoid the perception that team members are lax, have them update their status before leaving.
3. Building Rapport
You may need to be creative as a leader to make your developers who work remotely feel more connected. As teams are not used to the "watercooler talk," include unstructured meetings in which you can solicit creative ideas and questions.
You can reward your employees in many ways, from small gestures like praising them during meetings, acknowledging their birthdays, or sending gifts at milestones to bigger things such as comp time or cash bonuses after an important release.
Get creative if this isn't an option. Try something new, like a virtual party with food delivered directly to your team.
4. Create The Ideal Remote Environment
Ensure your team of developers has all the tools and the right setup to perform their job. There are many tools available today.
You should still keep all configuration files and data, including host names.
If you have remote web developers using Linux or newer languages such as Python for development, ensure they're equipped with all of the necessary tools and tutorials to ensure proper setup and bug-fixing.
Encourage your team to maintain a good work-life balance. You'll want them to stay sharp.
5. Do Not Micromanage
The most important component of any successful remote team is trust. Managers must trust developers to do their job and rely on their output to determine their productivity.
Code reviews can be used to improve code quality and measure productivity.
You can use them to highlight skills that developers lack or praise their work. Developers can easily become isolated in a remote environment.
Even a simple "hello" will suffice. Watch out for any issues, particularly when your team stops communicating and "goes dark."
The Pros Of Hiring Remote Developers
Let's start by looking at the benefits and how remote developers can help your company grow. Understanding the advantages can guide you in making a decision.
World's Greatest Talent At Your Fingertips
The remote hiring process has opened many possibilities for building a global team. You get a huge pool of talent from around the world.
Not all developers are willing to move their lives to another country or city. If you're looking to expand your engineering team and hire more engineers, don't limit yourself to only local talent.
Remote work unlocks the untapped potential of the entire world.
Your DEI Strategy Will Be A Boon
Hiring remote software developers can be a great step in building an inclusive and diverse workforce. You can employ remote developers in different countries with diverse cultural backgrounds.
By inviting diverse perspectives, you can foster innovation and creativity, which will ultimately help you unlock your potential.
Response Time Is Faster
You can increase your productivity by having a workforce available 24 hours a day. Hiring remote developers will help you implement this workforce within your company.
Remote teams can easily rotate their hours due to time zone differences. You'll be able to resolve any errors or issues at any time with such constant accessibility.
The Cons Of Remote Development
There will be obstacles along the way. It's important to weigh the pros and cons before deciding. The following is a list that includes the disadvantages of hiring remote developers.
Time Zone Differences Can Cause Inconsistencies With Schedules
Your business could suffer much harm if you do not have a strategy to deal with time zone variations. You may have to wait hours for your team to begin their day and address your urgent issue or answer your question.
There are currently no time zone solutions. Agile methodologies can help you overcome this challenge. Use a time-zone planner to schedule standup meetings on time, establish guidelines, ensure regular communication, improve your product vision and backlog, and use burndown charts to track sprint progress.
Communication Failures Can Lead To Miscommunication And Mismatches In Expectations
A successful team of remote developers relies on communication. Maintaining proper communication channels is essential.
Communication gaps can be the biggest obstacle to the completion of a product. Both sides can be frustrated by a decrease in the quality of your product and an unaligned expectation.
Make extra efforts to maintain a smooth flow of communication between your team members. Use email and chat apps like Slack.
You must ensure your team is logged in to their video-conferencing software, such as Zoom and Google Meet.
It Can Be Difficult To Manage A Remote Team Of Developers
To get the best out of remote developers, you need to have the right mindset as a manager. Lack of trust is one of the main reasons business leaders avoid remote hiring.
Many fear developers will take advantage of their flexibility and not perform as expected.
When managing remote teams, the right technologies and tools can make a huge difference. A cloud-based central working model will help you track your team's progress without having to ask the remote developers for feedback-schedule standups and check-ins for feedback and discuss obstacles and solutions.
Let the results speak for themselves instead of presuming the worst.
Conclusion
It's more complex than some would have you believe in setting up a team of remote developers. It has the same challenges and complications as a conventional setup.
Our guide is intended to help you. Now you know the resources needed to start your remote team.
If you have the right approach, it is similar to working with an in-house developer. Doing some research before deciding to build remote teams to ensure you get the best service and results is important.
If you're looking for a software development firm to work on your next project with remote and in-house developers, Coders.dev is the best option.
With our thorough vetting process, we have the right team for every developmental requirement.
Paul is a highly skilled Full Stack Developer with a solid educational background that includes a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Software Engineering, as well as a decade of hands-on experience. Certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, and Agile Scrum Master bolster his knowledge. Paul's excellent contributions to the software development industry have garnered him a slew of prizes and accolades, cementing his status as a top-tier professional. Aside from coding, he finds relief in her interests, which include hiking through beautiful landscapes, finding creative outlets through painting, and giving back to the community by participating in local tech education programmer.
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