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STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Equity Compensation Plans

The Company maintains the Hudson Global, Inc. 2009 Incentive Stock and Awards Plan, as amended and restated on May 24, 2016 and further amended on September 14, 2020, May 17, 2022 and August 22, 2025 (the “ISAP”), pursuant to which it can issue equity-based compensation incentives to eligible participants. The ISAP permits the granting of stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, and other types of equity-based awards. The Compensation Committee (the “Compensation Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) will establish such conditions as it deems appropriate for the granting or vesting of stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units and other types of equity-based awards. As determined by the Compensation Committee, equity awards may also be subject to immediate vesting upon the occurrence of certain events including death, disability, retirement or a change in control of the Company. When we make grants of restricted stock or restricted stock units to our executive officers, including the named executive officers, we enter into Restricted Stock Agreements and Restricted Stock Unit Agreements with such executive officers that contain provisions that are triggered upon a termination of an executive officer or a change in control of our Company. For awards of restricted stock granted beginning on November 6, 2015, effective upon a change in control of our Company, if the executive is employed by us or an affiliate of ours immediately prior to the date of such change in control and is subsequently terminated within 12 months following the date of such change in control, the shares of restricted stock will fully vest and the restrictions imposed upon the restricted stock will be immediately deemed to have lapsed. For awards of restricted stock units granted beginning on March 10, 2016, effective upon a change in control of our Company, if the executive is employed by us or an affiliate of ours immediately prior to the date of such change in control and is subsequently terminated within 12 months following the date of such change in control, the restricted stock units will fully vest and the restrictions imposed upon the restricted stock units will be immediately deemed to have lapsed. The Company primarily grants restricted stock and restricted stock units to its employees. A restricted stock unit is equivalent to one share of the Company’s common stock and is payable only in common stock of the Company issued under the ISAP.

The Compensation Committee administers the ISAP and may designate any of the following as a participant under the ISAP: any officer or other employee of the Company or its affiliates or individuals engaged to become an officer or employee, consultants, or other independent contractors who provide services to the Company or its affiliates, and non-employee directors of the Company. On August 31, 2025, the Company’s stockholders at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders approved amendments to the ISAP to, among other things, increase the number of shares of the Company’s common stock that are reserved for issuance by 400,000 shares and to permit the issuance of 175,000 shares of the Company’s preferred stock. As of
December 31, 2025, there were 337,245 shares of the Company’s common stock and 170,320 shares of the Company's preferred stock available for future issuance under the ISAP.

All share issuances related to stock compensation plans are issued from the aforementioned stock available for future issuance under stockholder approved compensation plan.

During the year 2025, the Company granted 48,688 restricted stock units subject to performance vesting conditions for the year ended December 31, 2025. In addition, the Company granted 8,918 time-vested restricted stock units to a certain employee that were not subject to performance conditions. The RSUs vest on the first anniversary of the grant date, with each RSU representing the right to receive one share of common stock upon settlement. Additionally, 66,171 time-vested restricted stock units were granted to the Global Chief Executive Officer at Hudson Talent Solutions. During 2024, the Company granted 47,647 restricted stock units subject to performance vesting conditions and granted 12,540 of discretionary time-vested restricted stock units to certain employees that were not subject to performance conditions. Additionally, 70,373 time-vested restricted stock units were granted to the Global Chief Executive Officer at Hudson RPO in 2024. In connection with the merger on August 22, 2025, the Company converted the unvested restricted stock unit awards previously granted under SOC’s equity incentive plans at the exchange ratio of 0.23 shares to 1. As of the merger date, these assumed awards consisted of 22,717 performance-based restricted stock units and 6,046 time-based restricted stock units. The assumed awards continue to be subject to their original vesting terms and conditions, and are recognized as part of the Company’s ongoing stock-based compensation expense.

A summary of the quantity and vesting conditions for stock-based units granted to the Company’s employees for the year ended December 31, 2025 was as follows:
Vesting conditionsNumber of Restricted Stock Units Granted
Performance and service conditions - Type 1 (1) (2)
13,296 
Performance and service conditions - Type 2 (1) (2)
35,392 
Service conditions only - Type 1 and Type 3 (2) (3)
75,089 
Total shares of stock award granted123,777 

(1)The performance conditions with respect to restricted stock units may be satisfied as follows: 
(a)For grants to Corporate office employees subject to 2025 performance conditions, 100% of the restricted stock units may be earned on the basis of performance as measured by a “group adjusted EBITDA”.
(2)To the extent restricted stock units are earned, such restricted stock units will vest on the basis of service as follows:
(a)33% and 66.6% for Type 1 and Type 2, respectively, of the restricted stock units will vest on the first anniversary of the grant date;
(b)33% and 16.7% for Type 1 and Type 2, respectively, of the restricted stock units will vest on the second anniversary of the grant date; and
(c)34% and 16.7% for Type 1 and Type 2, respectively, of the restricted stock units will vest on the third anniversary of the grant date; provided that, in each case, the employee remains employed by the Company from the grant date through the applicable service vesting date.
(3)To the extent restricted stock units are earned, such restricted stock units will vest on the basis of service as follows:
(a)100% for Type 3 of the restricted stock units will vest on the first anniversary of the grant date.

The Company also maintains the Director Deferred Share Plan (the “Director Plan”) as part of the ISAP pursuant to which it can issue restricted stock units to its non-employee directors. A restricted stock unit is equivalent to one share of the Company’s common stock, and prior to the acquisition of SOC were payable in common stock issued under the ISAP upon a director ceasing service as a member of the Company’s Board. Restricted stock units granted to directors vest over one year. Restricted stock units issued under the Director Plan contain the right to a dividend equivalent award in the form of additional restricted stock units. The dividend equivalent award is calculated using the same rate as the cash dividend paid on a share of the Company’s common stock, and then divided by the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date the dividend
is paid to determine the number of additional restricted stock units to grant. Dividend equivalent awards have the same vesting terms as the underlying awards. During the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company granted 54,241 and 20,284 restricted stock units to its non-employee directors pursuant to the Director Plan, respectively.

As of December 31, 2025, 12,169 restricted stock units are deferred under the Company’s ISAP.

For the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company’s stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock units and restricted shares of common stock, which are included in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations, were as follows: 
 For The Year Ended December 31,
 20252024
Restricted stock units$1,497 $1,173 
Restricted stock units-cash settled liabilities— 107 
Total$1,497 $1,280 

As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company’s unrecognized compensation expense and the weighted average periods over which the compensation expense is expected to be recognized relating to the unvested portion of the Company’s restricted stock unit awards, were as follows: 

As of December 31,
20252024
Unrecognized ExpenseWeighted Average Period in YearsUnrecognized ExpenseWeighted Average Period in Years
Restricted stock units$1,182 0.9$1,445 0.9
Restricted Stock Units 
Changes in the Company’s restricted stock units arising from grants to certain employees and non-employee directors for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 were as follows:

Year Ended December 31, 2025
Performance-basedTime-based/Director Total
Number of Shares of Restricted Stock UnitsWeighted Average Grant-Date Fair ValueNumber of Shares of Restricted Stock UnitsWeighted Average Grant-Date Fair ValueNumber of Shares of Restricted Stock UnitsWeighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested restricted stock units at January 155,591 $17.58 128,474 $14.96 184,065 $15.75 
Granted48,688 $13.15 129,330 $9.74 178,018 $10.67 
SOC Grants assumed22,717 $15.17 6,046 $14.07 28,763 $14.94 
Vested(16,419)$24.05 (63,101)$13.90 (79,520)$16.00 
Forfeited(48,311)$14.87 (3,264)$20.97 (51,575)$15.26 
Unvested restricted stock units at December 3162,266 $13.64 197,485 $11.75 259,751 $12.20 
 (a)    The number of shares earned above target are based on the performance target established by the Compensation Committee at the initial grant date.
Year Ended December 31, 2024
Performance-basedTime-based/Director Total
Number of Shares of Restricted Stock UnitsWeighted Average Grant-Date Fair ValueNumber of Shares of Restricted Stock UnitsWeighted Average Grant-Date Fair ValueNumber of Shares of Restricted Stock UnitsWeighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested restricted stock units at January 195,264 $23.49 80,422 $16.50 175,686 $20.29 
Granted47,647 $14.51 103,197 $15.03 150,844 $14.87 
Vested(58,479)$22.40 (54,465)$17.21 (112,944)$19.90 
Forfeited(28,841)$22.27 (680)$27.16 (29,521)$22.38 
Unvested restricted stock units at December 3155,591 $17.58 128,474 $14.96 184,065 $15.75 
 (a)    The number of shares earned above target are based on the performance target established by the Compensation Committee at the initial grant date.
(a)     The number of shares earned above target are based on the performance targets established by the Compensation Committee at the initial grant date.
The total fair value of restricted stock units vested during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 were as follows:
For The Year Ended December 31,
20252024
Fair value of restricted stock units vested$1,112 $1,693