Golden handcuffs

Type: Concept

As of November 2026, Golden handcuffs has been mentioned in one podcast episode on The Proven Podcast (Sep 2025).

Golden handcuffs, a phrase first recorded in 1976, refers to financial allurements and benefits that have the objective to encourage highly compensated employees to remain within a company or organization instead of moving from company to company. Golden handcuffs come in different forms, such as employee stock options or restricted stock, which endow only when the employee has been with the company or organization for a certain number of years, and contractual agreements, consisting of bonuses