One option is to give bonuses, but paid over a longer period. The big question is how to sweeten what is going with added benefits. LLU is flexible with time. That way parents, can take off time for sick kids, etc. Southern hired a programmer they let him take one math class every semester and he is in the orchestra.
Different people respond to different stimuli.
It is important to know your employees and what turns them on. David Heise has found that it is hard to find a good person that can live on the SDA pay level. Andrews is not on the GC health care package. AU is able to offer good health care and good tuition benefits. They can purchase even more.