>> I’m always surprised by the level of employee activism at Google. I mean, it’s a job. You don’t like it, or the company, then the default thing people do is leave. But based on my experience Google is different because they brainwash you into thinking that Google is the second coming of Christ and you don’t want to lose your front seat by just leaving. So instead of moving on, lots of frustrated employees burn out trying to change the company from within.
How much of that is simply due to vesting schedules?
Not just for Google, but broadly in tech, that doesn't quite work. If you jet, you lose un-vested equity. Oh, and you are also forced, in many cases, to spend a boatload of current cash to exercise vested options and get stuck with illiquid holdings for 5 or more years.
Google (and most large established tech companies) give RSUs instead of options, so you don’t have to spend any money to exercise them, but your point about vesting is good.
Google RSUs also vest monthly (and no longer has a cliff at 1 year, you start venting 1 month after you join) so as far as I can tell it’s exactly equivalent to salary but paid in shares of GOOG rather than dollars. Waiting for vesting shouldn’t keep anyone around for more than 1 month.
>> Google RSUs also vest monthly (and no longer has a cliff at 1 year, you start venting 1 month after you join) so as far as I can tell it’s exactly equivalent to salary but paid in shares of GOOG rather than dollars. Waiting for vesting shouldn’t keep anyone around for more than 1 month.
This all the more reason employees dont "just quit" and join another company. Say they quit and join Amazon -- now they are stuck on a 15/15/30/40 vesting plan and just kicked all their comp into a future year that may or may not arrive. Say they quit and join a typical startup, now they have a 1yr vest.
How much of that is simply due to vesting schedules?
Not just for Google, but broadly in tech, that doesn't quite work. If you jet, you lose un-vested equity. Oh, and you are also forced, in many cases, to spend a boatload of current cash to exercise vested options and get stuck with illiquid holdings for 5 or more years.