retention bonusnoun [ C ]
ukusHR, MANAGEMENTan extra payment that is given to an employee as a way of persuading them not to leave the company, especially at a time when the company is experiencing big changes:
McCormick is set to get a $500,000 retention bonus at the end of his five-year contract.
They probably offered retention bonuses - both money and new stock - to keep executives through the reorganization.