Presumably because people expect to be promoted periodically, so they pile up on the high end until the symptom gets corrected all at once. A realistic (but quite controversial) solution might be to emulate other companies that have done away with most of the promotion hierarchy. Different roles but more or less standardized pay across all employees and an understanding that promotions aren't a thing. Rather than climbing a ladder you're there to get shit done.

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gpvos 6 hours ago | parent [-]

Just have the possibility for pay increase without taking on management responsibilities.

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fc417fc802 5 hours ago | parent [-]

Once engineering starts out earning them by a wide enough margin management will become insecure. /s

I actually am curious why this isn't a more commonplace practice. Why would we build systems that keep accumulating managers at the expense of skilled senior engineers?

	▲	vachina 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Because managers promote managers and managers have vested interest in themselves.