Despite 93% of engineers citing feature development as the most rewarding aspect of their jobs, new research shows they’re spending only about 16% of their workweek actually building new features. The 2026 Engineering Reality Report reveals a troubling disconnect: while engineers are passionate about creating and innovating, they’re trapped in a cycle of maintenance work, with 79% pointing to code maintenance as a major drain on their time and 72% struggling to find space for feature development amid competing demands.
The findings paint a stark picture of the modern engineering experience, with two-thirds of technology leaders expressing concern about retaining talent in an environment where repetitive tasks and tool sprawl are eroding morale. However, the report also identifies a clear path forward: organizations that heavily automate common engineering tasks are seeing 94% of their engineers spending most of their time on energizing work, compared to just 67% at companies with lower automation adoption. In this exclusive VMblog interview, Dustin Kirkland, SVP of Engineering at Chainguard, discusses how eliminating toil through automation and trusted open source infrastructure can unlock innovation and transform both developer experience and business outcomes.
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VMblog: Chainguard is often thought of as a security company. Why did you decide to commission a survey focused on the daily realities of engineering teams?
Dustin Kirkland: It’s true – most people think of Chainguard as a security company, but we see ourselves as an infrastructure company, with a mission to make open source software trustworthy by default. We do that by giving engineering teams trusted open source components that allow them to build securely from the start while reducing toil like patching, upgrades, and vulnerability management. This survey was about understanding what’s getting in the way of engineers doing what they love: building! We explored what engineers are struggling with day-to-day, where they’re spending time, and how automation and AI are reshaping their workflows. If we want to improve both security and innovation, we have to start with understanding the engineer’s experience.
VMblog: The survey shows engineers only spend about 16% of their week on feature building, even though 93% say it’s the most rewarding part of their job. What’s keeping them from doing more of the work they love?
Kirkland: The data makes it clear: engineers are stuck in maintenance mode. 72% said demands on their time make it hard to find space for building new features, and 79% pointed to code maintenance as a major drain. When you add in the repetitive tasks and firefighting that come with maintaining complex systems, it’s no wonder they’re only spending about one-sixth of their time building. Most engineers didn’t get into this field to spend their days patching and debugging pipelines – the majority want to build, create, and innovate. That imbalance is what we need to fix.
VMblog: The data also points to burnout, workload pressures, and retention concerns. How are these challenges impacting engineering leaders and their ability to keep teams engaged?
Kirkland: Retention was a recurring theme in the data. Two-thirds of tech leaders said they’re worried about keeping engineering talent – and it’s easy to see why. When engineers spend too much time on toil and repetitive tasks, it drains morale and creativity. My peers and I think constantly about how to keep our best people energized and focused on solving the most important and valuable problems. That means eliminating friction in their day-to-day work so they can spend more time doing what drives them: building great products. Energized engineers build better software, and that’s what ultimately drives the business forward.
VMblog: Nearly nine in ten engineers say switching between tools hurts productivity, and more than half report their tools aren’t fully integrated. Why is tool sprawl such a persistent challenge?
Kirkland: Tool sprawl is a problem that everyone feels but few have solved. The average engineer uses more than five different tools each week, and 88% say that switching between them impacts productivity. The result is constant context switching and a loss of focus every time you jump between platforms. What’s interesting is that leaders often think their tools are better integrated than what engineers actually experience day to day. That disconnect matters because fragmented tooling means more manual work and less time building. Solving this isn’t about reducing tools – it’s about integrating them into a seamless workflow that supports velocity and security together.
VMblog: Where did the survey show AI and automation having the biggest impact on the developer experience?
Kirkland: Automation is the clearest path to giving engineers more time to build. 65% of organizations told us that most common engineering tasks are now automated, and it’s making a real difference: among engineers who heavily use automation, 94% said they spend most of their time on energizing work, compared to just 67% who aren’t automating. AI is part of that story too, with 89% saying it’s saving them at least three hours a week, and more than a quarter are reclaiming up to six. That’s time engineers can reinvest in building and innovating. It’s what I like to call “boring AI”, not flashy demos, but real productivity gains where they matter most.
VMblog: At the same time, respondents flagged concerns about accountability, privacy, and security in AI adoption. What needs to happen for AI to reach its full potential in engineering?
Kirkland: Engineers want to trust the tools they’re using, and that’s really the key to unlocking AI’s full potential. Over 40% of respondents pointed to accountability and security as barriers, and “shadow AI” is emerging as a real concern, where teams use unapproved tools that might introduce new risks. To move forward, organizations need clear policies, secure tooling, and transparent governance around AI use. When teams know their AI systems are safe, compliant, and trustworthy, they can focus on what matters, which is using AI to automate away the toil and unlock creativity.
VMblog: Why should CEOs and business leaders care about developer experience?
Kirkland: A poor developer experience isn’t just an engineering problem, it’s a business problem. 93% of engineers and technology leaders in our survey agreed that a positive developer experience directly drives stronger business outcomes. When engineers are energized, they deliver better products more quickly, which translates to happier customers and increased revenue. Developer experience is one of the most important levers for innovation and competitiveness. If you’re not creating an environment where your engineers can thrive, you’re leaving growth on the table.
VMblog: If you had to leave engineering leaders with one takeaway from the 2026 Engineering Reality Report, what would it be?
Kirkland: Engineers want to build, not just maintain. The best thing leaders can do is eliminate toil, embrace automation, and invest in the developer experience. Our data shows that when you free engineers from repetitive work and give them the right tools and trusted open source, they spend more time doing what they love and drive greater impact for the business. When you remove the friction, you unleash innovation.
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