I certainly like that companies are introducing yet another step in the IC ladder. Before it was like: junior1 -> junior2 -> senior1 -> senior2 -> manager. And the money you get by being junior2/junior2/senior1 is not that much. Nowadays I see companies doing: ... -> senior1 -> senior2 -> staff1 -> staff2 -> manager.
So, in the past I have quit a job at level staff1 (decent money), just to go to another company where they label me as senior 2 (more money, but this is not the topic of discussion here). So now, I have yet another opportunity to make more money by being promoted to staff1 (and then staff2) basically doing the same thing I have been doing all these recent years.