> The problem with the example of getting a 20% payout is that there are diminishing returns on each additional dollar. Most software developers make far more t

> The problem with the example of getting a 20% payout is that there are diminishing returns on each additional dollar. Most software developers make far more than a living wage. After that threshold is met, most people have a lot of other things that matter more to them. The question was not "What is the way to keep software developers without paying them" > For example, for me, I work to support my family. Pretty much any software job in my area will be able to do that for me, so the bigger consideration in choosing is which jobs will actually allow me to spend quality time with my family (since that's the entire reason why I go to work). No amount of additional pay could persuade me to work 60 hours a week or work in an environment that leaves me drained by the end of the day. Have you asked your wife if she would take a $1,000,000 a year for 2-4 years in exchange for you working 60 hour weeks? Because actual financial security as described by having extra half a million a year in a bank sounds like a boon to any family that does not already have millions of dollars in cash and cash equivalents.