Whatever is offered is simply designed to keep people from leaving, nothing more. Any of those in no way competes with being a major owner of a valuable firm.

Whatever is offered is simply designed to keep people from leaving, nothing more. Any of those in no way competes with being a major owner of a valuable firm. Most firms do things such as grant options that are way out of the money, essentially worthless pieces of paper, and that take half a decade to vest. Even if a firm grants equity, which is rare, it is based on pumped valuations not based on free cash flow and which also takes half a decade to vest. Even then, it is likely to be less than 0.1% of the company. Bonuses, as well, are small in comparison to the value created by employee's work or even the employee's salary.