Abstract Hybrid work has become the norm post pandemic, yet organizing it effectively in agile software engineering requires understanding how individual and contextual factors shape preferences and behaviors. This study surveyed 65 agile practitioners to explore these influences. Respondents generally preferred flexible office attendance policies, but not full-time remote work. Larger teams expressed interest in agreed on presence at the office, while small or medium size teams leaned slightly more toward individual choice. Social interaction was a strong reason to come to the office, and most respondents viewed in-person meetings as highly beneficial for social and problem-solving activities. In virtual meetings, camera use was guided mainly by social presence and visibility, while multitasking activities were mostly meeting-supportive and work related, with managers and agile leaders reporting slightly higher levels of multitasking and significantly higher levels of camera use.

Background: Hybrid work, which combines remote and office work, has become common after the Covid-19 pandemic. While many software companies embrace hybrid work to retain talent, this shift challenges agile software development, which values in-person collaboration. However, adaptation is central to agility, so agile companies are adjusting to their evolving needs, including the rise of hybrid work. Aims: This study explores how different types of companies organize hybrid work in agile software development to fit their unique organizational contexts. Method: We conducted a comparative multiple case study based on 39 semi-structured interviews with developers, product owners, specialists, and managers from two companies. We studied two agile software development units at the Finnish R&D site of Ericsson, a mature global telecommunications company, and one unit at Kempower, a young Finnish industrial company. Results: The study found that hybrid work guidelines, infrastructures, events, and communities in agile software development varied significantly across the units, yet employees in each unit generally reported satisfaction with their arrangements. The approaches were shaped by multiple factors, e.g., how team members were dispersed geographically, whether collaboration was mainly internal or included external partners, and the company's maturity. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there is no one-size-fits-all approach for agile software development in a hybrid work environment. Instead, the successful adoption of hybrid work requires context awareness.

Abstract The Agile Manifesto emphasizes individuals and interactions over processes and tools. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, interaction in software development changed, and companies are trying to find new practices in the hybrid environment. Hybrid work research points to the benefits for the individual, whereas companies have begun to form new rules and policies to get employees back to the office. To find a balance benefiting all, companies need to find new ways to connect and communicate. This paper explores how hybrid work impacts the sense of belonging in agile software development. We conducted interviews (N = 38) and a workshop (N = 15) with professionals from three case organizations. Our thematic analysis identifies key factors influencing belonging at the individual, team, and organizational levels. Our findings underline that continuous, conscious, and visible actions are needed at all levels to foster a sense of belonging. As hybrid work reduces spontaneous and random encounters, maintaining a sense of belonging requires planned efforts to recreate the informal interactions that once happened naturally.