From the given array favorite, create a graph where for every index i, there is a directed edge from favorite[i] to i. The graph will be a combination of cycles and chains of acyclic edges. Now, what are the ways in which we can choose employees to sit at the table?

The first way by which we can choose employees is by selecting a cycle of the graph. It can be proven that in this case, the employees that do not lie in the cycle can never be seated at the table.

The second way is by combining acyclic chains. At most two chains can be combined by a cycle of length 2, where each chain ends on one of the employees in the cycle.