If most companies don't have non-competes that is better for everyone indeed. But there is no incentive for companies to be the only one not having non-competes

If most companies don't have non-competes that is better for everyone indeed. But there is no incentive for companies to be the only one not having non-competes. If you see employee mobility as the shared resource it is a tragedy of the commons. I think it would be better to mostly abolish noncompetes around the world as is already done in California. However as GitLab we have them in our contracts since it is in the interest of the company. It is a bit of a paradox.