Definition
The practice of employees doing minimal work while waiting for stock options or restricted stock units to vest before leaving. Coast mode with a countdown timer.
Example Usage
He's clearly in rest and vest mode—showing up to meetings but contributing nothing while waiting for his equity to vest next quarter before jumping to a competitor.
Origin
Silicon Valley slang that emerged in the 2000s-2010s as equity compensation became standard in tech
Fun Fact
Some companies, particularly after acquisitions, have entire teams in rest and vest mode, collecting paychecks and waiting for vesting schedules while delivering minimal value—a multimillion-dollar problem.
Source: Tech industry compensation and workforce management terminology
Related Terms
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See “rest and vest” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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