From sign-on bonuses to long-term equity bonus incentives to perks such as paying for the lease on a new Tesla, firms are upping the ante to attract and hire elite software development talent in a tight market. Most of these specialized performance programs are relatively new, says Dice.com President Shravan Goli. Sixteen percent of 700 employers' hiring managers surveyed by Dice noted that such programs were a new addition in 2014, and 26 percent of respondents say similar programs launched in 2013.