Rob,
There are formulas for startups: CEO= 5-8%, CFO=1.5%, VP=1-1/14%, manager 1/2%, clerical 1/10 to 1/5%. In a larger company it depends much more upon the cap table, especially how much of a percentage of the stock option plan shares have been issued and outstanding as options. If the pool remains at 20% for a larger company, then you must look at the remaining option percent available. Your investors will not let you expand the pool beyond 20% in most every case, so your ability to grant larger options is limited. And in a larger, later stage company, you are probably closer to the liquidity event and with less risk of dilution and failure. That warrants a lower option grant. BUT it always depends upon how competitive your recruiting effort is as to what you must offer. Give away too many options early and your choices are fewer later… Hope this helps.
Dave

Robby,

Thanks for your comment. I should have limited this insight to tech companies and others where the race to find good employees is most difficult. I do believe that any company can benefit from employee ownership, but this is a question of degrees. In the tech world, there are lots and lots of stories of people taking a salary reduction to jump to a startup with promise and stock options. The best programmers, for example, can command 1-1.5% in options, which could have real value. Hope this limiting of the issue helps.

Dave