I agree, and I think it's a win/win/win. Employees get a nice moral boost and get to pad their finances a bit, the CEO enables a long term bet on a future subst

I agree, and I think it's a win/win/win. Employees get a nice moral boost and get to pad their finances a bit, the CEO enables a long term bet on a future substantial gain of his preexisting position in $LNKD equity, and both sides get to feel that this was a nice gesture of good faith. Even with the potential personal gain, imo there isn't much to criticize here. It's not like a majority shareholder getting a one time special dividend (I'm looking at you, PE funds) or something obviously sinister like that.