Are Some Benefits More Important Than Others for Software Developers?

If your job is to hire or manage Software Developers there is a high probability that at least once in your life you have asked yourself if your company actually provides benefits that retain software developers.

We’ve spent the last 15 years building and running high-performing software development teams for our clients. We’ve hired hundreds of developers across North America, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s this: not all benefits matter equally.

Yes, everyone likes perks. But only a few perks actually make people stay.

As companies compete to attract talent in a global market, many are stuck in a benefits rat race — adding meditation apps, ping-pong tables, or even unlimited PTO — without stopping to ask: Does any of this actually matter to our developers?

Well, we asked our devs. And the answers surprised us.

Twice per year, we run an engagement survey at Sapiensdev, this year (2025) we wanted to find out how our developers feel about the benefits we offer. And we didn’t include the basics like vacation, health insurance, or parental leave — those are rights, not perks.

Here’s what stood out:

Interestingly, training didn’t even rank as a benefit. Not because it doesn’t matter — we train over 70% of our staff every year — but because our team sees it as a standard, not a perk. That tells us something powerful: people value autonomy, health, and balance over anything else.

Our attrition rate last year was just 6%. This year, we’re at 2% for Q1.

Compare that to the industry average of 20%+, and you can see why the Engagement department is a valuable player for the Company. Less turnover means faster onboarding, more knowledge retention, and fewer project delays. That’s not just good for morale — it’s good for business. It’s good for our clients.

So how do we do it?

We don’t treat talent like a commodity. We invest in them. We offer flexibility, real development opportunities, and benefits that help them stay balanced and engaged. And we talk to them regularly about what’s working and what’s not.

We also pay well — intentionally.
Sapiens is consistently among the top 25% highest-paying companies in the region. Every year, we run a compensation report to validate our salary bands by role and seniority, making sure we stay competitive and fair. But let’s be honest — pay alone doesn’t create loyalty. You can throw money at developers all day long, but if your work environment is toxic or the work-life balance is off, they’ll eventually leave. High salaries might get people in the door — they don’t keep them there.

If you’re a CTO, VP of Engineering, or IT Director trying to hit your quarterly goals with fewer resources and higher expectations, you’re probably feeling the pressure. Your roadmap isn’t going to slow down just because two of your best devs left for Google last week.

You need stability. You need people who stay.
That’s why understanding which benefits actually matter isn’t HR fluff — it’s a strategic imperative.

When your developers are overworked and under-supported, they burn out or check out. And when they feel heard, supported, and trusted, they deliver faster, collaborate better, and stay longer.

It’s simple math: Retain your team = Increase your velocity.

The benefits that work at Sapiens might not be the same ones that work for your team — but chances are, the underlying truth is the same:

🧠 Developers want to feel respected
🧘 They want balance
📍And they want flexibility to do their best work, not micromanagement

You don’t need to outspend Google. You just need to listen better.

It’s time to stop throwing benefits at the wall to see what sticks.

Ask your team what matters. Focus on what actually improves their daily life. When you do that, you don’t just attract great developers — you keep them.

We’ve built a model that keeps our people engaged and our clients happy. If you’re thinking about how to improve retention and performance in your software teams, let’s talk. We are more than happy to share some of our experiences so you can develop a process of your own

We’re happy to share what’s worked — and what hasn’t — along the way.