Definition
Employee stock options is the right given to employees to buy company stock at a predetermined price. Founders reach for it when a vague conversation needs a shared, specific meaning. Name it clearly, then let the next decision — a hire, a price, a test, or a pass — follow from that meaning.
In the room
How the word shows up in a real conversation.
In a Monday review, someone writes Employee stock options on the board and restates it: “Right given to employees to buy company stock at a predetermined price.” The next move is a test, a cut, or a double-down — not another debate about the word.
Common mistake
Using Employee stock options as a label instead of a fact. If you cannot point to the evidence — a number, a customer, or a written assumption — you are using the word as jargon.
See also
Employee
Person who works for a company in exchange for wages or salary.
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Employee benefits
Non-wage compensation provided to employees, such as health insurance and retirement plans.
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Employee stock option plan (ESOP)
Program that gives employees the right to purchase company stock at a set price.
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Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
Retirement plan that invests primarily in the employer's stock.
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