  Context. As a novel coronavirus swept the world in early 2020, thousands of
software developers began working from home. Many did so on short notice, under
difficult and stressful conditions. Objective. This study investigates the
effects of the pandemic on developers' wellbeing and productivity. Method. A
questionnaire survey was created mainly from existing, validated scales and
translated into 12 languages. The data was analyzed using non-parametric
inferential statistics and structural equation modeling. Results. The
questionnaire received 2225 usable responses from 53 countries. Factor analysis
supported the validity of the scales and the structural model achieved a good
fit (CFI = 0.961, RMSEA = 0.051, SRMR = 0.067). Confirmatory results include:
(1) the pandemic has had a negative effect on developers' wellbeing and
productivity; (2) productivity and wellbeing are closely related; (3) disaster
preparedness, fear related to the pandemic and home office ergonomics all
affect wellbeing or productivity. Exploratory analysis suggests that: (1)
women, parents and people with disabilities may be disproportionately affected;
(2) different people need different kinds of support. Conclusions. To improve
employee productivity, software companies should focus on maximizing employee
wellbeing and improving the ergonomics of employees' home offices. Women,
parents and disabled persons may require extra support.
