> ... wrote a persuasive piece on how companies should people based on what value they add, not pay them differently based on where they want to live. I learne

> ... wrote a persuasive piece on how companies should people based on what value they add, not pay them differently based on where they want to live. I learned the concept of "golden handcuff" the hard way. We paid a remote worker a fraction of the salary they'd make at a major European city. But that salary was still a multiple of what they'd make at a local job. This turned into a golden handcuff, as the employee started to lose interest in the job, yet would try hard to convince themselves that they're still interested. That was likely because any other job for them would mean a 66% pay cut at the least, and a significant downgrade in their standard of living (unless they'd find another employer as inexperienced as me). Lesson learned: Negotiate close to market rate, and let the fulfillment of the job be the talent's biggest motivator.