Five Years Into Remote and Hybrid Working – Has Anyone Wondered About Agile Teamwork?
It’s been half a decade since the pandemic pushed us into the great global experiment of remote work. In that time, much has changed — from how we design our days to how (and whether) we meet in person. Companies have launched policies, remodeled offices, and redefined expectations. And so did the individuals. But amid all this transformation, one critical question has remained largely unanswered: What has happened to Agile teamwork? This talk explores the often-overlooked consequences of hybrid and remote work on individual well-being and Agile collaboration. Drawing on empirical data from multiple international studies and in-depth case research in companies like Ericsson, Spotify, and Storebrand, we examine how hybrid policies, team co-presence, and office mandates intersect with principles of Agile teamwork. We reflect on how daily routines have changed, how co-location has splintered into fragmented schedules, and how Agile rituals — like stand-ups, retrospectives, and informal coordination — have (or haven’t) adapted. Along the way, we revisit the early optimism of remote work, the backlash of return-to-office mandates, and the complex, sometimes contradictory signals from both workers and leaders. To provoke deeper thinking, the talk introduces a series of “Remote work paradoxes” that highlight the tensions between flexibility and synchrony, autonomy and alignment, individual and team productivity. We also share lessons learned from teams that made hybrid Agile work — and those that struggled.
Darja Šmite is a professor of software engineering at the Blekinge Institute of Technology, where she leads research efforts on globally distributed software development, outsourcing, remote and hybrid work. Her research interests include WFH, virtual teams, large-scale agile software development, team performance and organisational decentralisation. In her research, Šmite works closely with software companies, including Ericsson, Spotify, Telenor, Storebrand, SONY, ABB, Tieto, and many others. Šmite is also a part time research scientist at SINTEF in Norway.
Wed 4 JunDisplayed time zone: Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna change
09:00 - 10:30 | Opening SessionKeynotes at 5.0B56 (Plenary) Chair(s): Martin Kropp University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Sibylle Peter University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland | ||
09:00 15mDay opening | Opening Remarks Keynotes | ||
09:15 60mKeynote | Five Years Into Remote and Hybrid Working – Has Anyone Wondered About Agile Teamwork? Keynotes Darja Šmite Blekinge Institute of Technology File Attached | ||
10:15 15mDay opening | Daily Welcome Keynotes |