Present company's first to get stick (6)
I believe the answer is:
cohere
'stick' is the definition.
('cohere' can be a synonym of 'stick')
'present company's first' is the wordplay.
'present' becomes 'here' ('here' can be similar in meaning to 'present'**).
'company' becomes 'co' (abbreviation).
'first' says to put letters next to each other.
'here' put after 'co' is 'COHERE'.
'to get' is the link.
(Other definitions for cohere that I've seen before include "Fit together" , "Stick firmly together" , "Cling" , "Stick together, remain united" , "Hold firmly together" .)