GitHub activity data provides time-stamped records of developer actions, enabling the construction of daily patterns of output quantity, task complexity, quality, working hours, and sentiment at the individual level. Based on these patterns, we explore productivity effects of circadian rhythm disruptions among professional software developers. Using daylight saving time (DST) transitions as natural experiments, we document significant reductions in output and task complexity, with spillover effects in globally distributed teams. Effects differ by chronotype, with morning types outperforming evening types. These findings underscore the economic costs of circadian misalignments (social jetlag) and advocate for flexible work policies to enhance productivity and equity in modern work environments.

Eurofound is the tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist in the improvement of better social, employment and work-related policies.









