#GoldenHandcuffs

A wave of research and media coverage is drawing attention to “golden handcuffs”—the idea that lucrative pay, stock options, or retention bonuses can keep employees from leaving jobs they might otherwise discard. As global markets shift, this phenomenon is increasingly visible in Thailand’s knowledge-based sectors, where high rewards compete with work-life balance and well-being.

The term, coined in the 1970s, describes financial rewards tied to staying in a role. While such incentives can help firms attract talent in tight labor markets, they can also trap workers in jobs that no longer align with their values or life priorities. In Thailand’s rapidly internationalizing economy, multinational firms and emerging tech hubs are expanding the use of these tools, prompting both opportunity and fatigue among professionals.

A wave of recent research and media coverage is bringing renewed attention to the phenomenon of “golden handcuffs”—a workplace dynamic in which lucrative compensation, incentives, or benefits keep employees tied to jobs they might otherwise leave. As changing economic conditions ripple through high-earning sectors such as technology and finance, understanding the psychology and impact of golden handcuffs has become critical, both globally and in Thailand, where local professionals increasingly compete in knowledge-based, high-reward industries.