My friend is a project manager for a software company. The most frustrating thing for him is that his engineers frequently leave their jobs. The company works hard to recruit new engineers, transfer projects, and keep a stable quality product. When people leave, it drives my friend crazy.

These engineers are quite young and ambitious, and they want higher salaries and better positions. The big boss only thinks about it in financial terms, and his theory is that “three newbies are always better than one veteran” (which, as an experienced engineer, I know is wrong). My friend hates that theory. 

Any advice for him?

When an organization has higher-than-usual turnover, there's ALWAYS a reason and it is ALWAYS management.


If the only way an engineer can get a raise is to change jobs, he'll do it.
If the only way an engineer can get better working conditions is to change jobs, he'll do it.
If the only way an engineer can see his wife and kids occasionally is to change jobs, he'll do it.


Tell your friend to LOOK IN THE MIRROR.  The answers he seeks will be found there.
