Conversely, it can work out great for you. For example, Amazon stock used to go up 30-40% a year reliably. Compensation model was "conservative" and estimated

Conversely, it can work out great for you. For example, Amazon stock used to go up 30-40% a year reliably. Compensation model was "conservative" and estimated 15% a year. So if you stayed at Amazon for a while, you could be paid very very well, thanks to stock appreciation. For the risk adverse, a strategy is to sell the stocks as they vest, effectively treating it as cash. Companies will also issue additional RSU, if stock tanks too badly, as they'd be losing people otherwise. Personally, I worked for Amazon and Microsoft for a number of years, and have kept all my RSU. It has worked out great for me (at least on paper).