Another way to poach a startup employee: Write an article on How to Poach a Startup Employee and submit it to Hacker News. Bonus points if it reaches first page.
Ironically, we're not hiring. This article, despite its title, is about retention.
I may be crazy, but does the regularity of feedback sessions sound terrible to anyone else? I'm most productive when my supervisor let's me just code for a few days strait. I like getting feedback, but I want to have something significant to get feedback on.
How do you feel about pair programming?
Another great idea, which I believe I read about Netflix implementing some time ago, is to always make it a policy to offer everyone the most you can possibly offer them (in terms of complete compensation package) so that when they tell you they have something better you don't get caught up trying to offer them better hours, pay or benefits to get them to stay.
I pretty much do this now without thinking of it as a retention policy. The more revenue and funding we get the better everyone does, just seems fair to me.
For developers specifically, make sure you allocate enough resources per developer to keep hardware up to date. When your developers inevitably swap stories about their working environment at meetups, it doesn't look good to be the company with the slowest computers and the smallest monitors (speaking from experience).
Hi, I wrote this article, and you should read it if you've ever seen a founder get all bent out of shape when one of their employees finds a better job.
Offer to pay them. /baddumbump
Tell them a 40 work week is normal. /tiff
Tell them they park within 1 mile of the building for free. /baddoom
If only that were enough. I don't know where you live, but in TO salary isn't enough.