Schwab Survey Shows Sharing Equity a Significant Factor in Choosing a Job

The 2018 Equity Compensation Survey from Charles Schwab shows that 27% of 1,000 survey participants said that equity was "one of the main reasons" they took their current jobs, and 9% more said it was why they took the job. Fifteen percent said it was not a factor at all, and 49% said they were happy to get the equity, but it was not a main factor in the decision. About the same percentages said that equity was either the reason or a reason they stayed at their jobs. Three-quarters of the respondents said that having equity made them less stressed about their financial situations. The study was based on a survey of 1,000 participants in equity plans administered by Schwab, all in public companies. Most of the employees were in employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs), but some received equity grants of one kind or another (the report did not break out the numbers).