Tata Digital Pvt. Ltd, the e-commerce unit of the $ 103 billion Tata group, is encouraging senior executives with long-term incentives, including stock options, to secure the loyalty of the company’s most valuable resources and attract new talent.

The CXOs and a couple of levels below are getting long-term incentives (LTIs), which one can get annually for the first three to five years.

According to the reports, stock options will be given to them as well once the board approval comes in.

The incentive program comes as India’s largest conglomerate embarks on aggressive hiring plans for Tata Digital to recruit senior executives with expertise in retail and analytics from rival e-commerce platforms, not often do Tata firms offer stock options, but Tata Digital is a different story. The LTIs and stock options show they are ready to attract using both the Tata brand name and money.

Stock options and other such incentives have become essential factors as candidates hunt for jobs, seeking bigger paycheques and better roles. High attrition levels are forcing start-ups, technology firms and business houses to offer more generous pay and shorten their stock options vesting period.

Although Tata Digital is yet to decide what form of stock options will be rolled out for the workforce, it will be given not just to the senior-most but many other key employees as well.

The mandates are in for big hires. Those who don’t get stocks now at the time of joining have been assured that once the board approves, they will be eligible for stocks.

In May 2021, Tata Digital acquired a 64.3 percent stake in BigBasket for Rs.9, 500 crore, besides acquiring e-pharmacy 1mg. It had also signed a deal to invest up to $75 million in CureFit Healthcare. The company is working on several services and tech innovations, such as an artificial intelligence-driven personal assistant, to improve the consumer experience.