I think partly this has to do with "the struggle" factor. Once, I had this guy who owns a big gaming company and I asked him the same question, why do you trea

I think partly this has to do with "the struggle" factor. Once, I had this guy who owns a big gaming company and I asked him the same question, why do you treat these employees, unlike other software companies? He said, there was a time when he no one would apply for open job listings at his company because they had less money or they were not very hot. And that he understands, he can push the people around as he has earned it. So, it seems there is some revenge and ability to justify worse at work here. What can you do? There aren't that many successful companies and the even if there are, they aren't growing as fast as your SV startup, so they do not need increasing supply of labor.