Option Practices Continue to Shift.

• Position: Executive compensation - Brief Article

Troubles in the tech sector haven't eliminated stock options by any means, but companies have been compelled to change some of their practices.

So says a survey conducted by Unifi Network, a subsidiary of PricewaterhouseCoopers, in conjunction with the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals. The survey of 113 U.S.-based public technology companies found that 84 percent have employee stock purchase plans, versus 62 percent of companies in other industries. Moreover, high-tech companies have begun to shift to shorter option terms and vesting periods, as well as more frequent grants, in an effort to enhance employee retention and to mitigate the issues associated with volatile stock prices.

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