From my experience, this is another big one: Does management trust its developers? Developer jobs are in high demand, so a good employee isn't going to stick

From my experience, this is another big one: Does management trust its developers? Developer jobs are in high demand, so a good employee isn't going to stick around if management doesn't show that they trust them. Some evidence of a lack trust: - strict deadlines unrelated to customer needs - very detailed and strict reporting - frequent meetings to discuss progress on milestones - strict work hours - limited "work at home" opportunities Developers like to get in control of their codebases, so non-technical management stepping in too often can kill productivity and this job satisfaction, which can lead developers to look elsewhere.