Are Employee Stock Options beneficial or harmful to a company and why?

In this day and age, many companies provide stock options to their employers. The benefits that come from this opportunity range, depending on the company.

When stock options are given, it essentially means that employees can purchase company stock at a price lower than the current market value. It’s a cheaper option than buying stock independently. This often causes instability on the company’s side because stock options cause somewhat of a price dilution. Regular market values are lowered and the true value of the stock isn’t accumulating as fast at the employee stock price.

This is where the benefit comes into play. When company stock lowers due to a decline in the market, the executives can jump on the chance to purchase more (and cheaper) stock. As the market changes, the purchase price of the stock options for employees may change as well. In addition to these elements, the company is able to control much of its money from within. Providing stock options, while appealing to the employee, is really just bringing more money into the company itself.

Such a great amount of control is put into the hands of the executives that it would be difficult to not see a clear benefit on the company’s side.