It’s still early in the year, but for many of us, that means some already broken New Year’s resolutions. It’s not too late, however, to jump back on the improvement wagon and resolve to make the most of employee ownership at your company in 2024.
Based on our more than three decades providing practical communication, training and ownership-culture development services, here’s some real-world suggestions (i.e., ESOP resolutions) you can implement to be more effective this year while laying a solid foundation for future success.
The ESOP Association
ESOP Association Resources
Mar. 21
In February, The ESOP Association held its annual Professionals’ Forum in New Orleans, which featured an unveiling of the Association’s latest advocacy effort and lively discussions on the most critical ESOP issues. The Forum, the only event of its kind, serves a key role as a high-level discussion venue, sounding board, and learning experience for ESOP professionals.
Mar. 20
Photo: KMI International founder and CEO John Manning (right) with John Burgess
Mar. 14
Among an ESOP trustee’s most important responsibilities is setting the annual share price for company stock held by the ESOP. This price is used to facilitate transactions involving the ESOP or plan participants, and gives all participants the “current” value for what is one of their key retirement accounts. Because the ESOP trustee typically relies on an independent valuation prepared by an ESOP valuation professional or firm to determine the annual price, selecting the right professional and giving a complete review of the valuation is of the utmost importance.
Mar. 07
All ESOP Association members are eligible to apply to join any of the Association’s six Professional Advisory Committees. The Advisory Committees' mission is to help identify emerging issues, discuss best practices, and formulate the educational content for the hundreds of educational conference sessions held throughout the nation each year.
Mar. 05
The ESOP Association’s Newest Initiative Aims to Synthesize Compelling ESOP Messages Across Industry, Demographic Sectors, and Audiences
I have often said that as a community we are really good at talking about employee ownership to one another, but really bad in how we communicate to everyone else. The ESOP Association and The Employee Ownership Foundation have joined forces to try to do something about that, and provide meaningful, data-driven research to help you in your marketing and communications, too.
I have often said that as a community we are really good at talking about employee ownership to one another, but really bad in how we communicate to everyone else. The ESOP Association and The Employee Ownership Foundation have joined forces to try to do something about that, and provide meaningful, data-driven research to help you in your marketing and communications, too.
ESOP Blog, Resource
Jan. 31
I am hearing increasingly from certain thought leaders that current ESOP laws do not create “good” employee ownership plans.
Anytime we ESOP advocates encounter someone who takes such a view of ESOPs, we need to ask ourselves, “Why does that person think ESOPs are not good employee ownership plans?” When we know the answer, we can counter the ESOP cynic’s point of view.
In my experience, there are three main criticisms of ESOPs. I’ll deal with each one in a separate blog post.
The first criticism maintains that ESOPs are bad retirement plans.
Anytime we ESOP advocates encounter someone who takes such a view of ESOPs, we need to ask ourselves, “Why does that person think ESOPs are not good employee ownership plans?” When we know the answer, we can counter the ESOP cynic’s point of view.
In my experience, there are three main criticisms of ESOPs. I’ll deal with each one in a separate blog post.
The first criticism maintains that ESOPs are bad retirement plans.
ESOP Blog, Resource
Jan. 17
For some time now, the data have shown that businesses with employee stock ownership are clearly better than conventionally owned companies at retaining employees. But new insights gleaned from existing research data show that, over a period of 12 years, businesses with employee stock ownership have gotten increasingly and dramatically better than conventionally owned firms at retaining employees.
How much better? Try 235 percent better!
How much better? Try 235 percent better!
ESOP Blog, Resource
Jan. 03
It would be easy for us to sit back and bask in the comfortable knowledge that the Congressional tax committees did not draft tax reform measures that negatively affect ESOPs.
Certainly, that is good news. But we can’t let that recent success cause us to remain ignorant of the fact there remain plenty of people who do not believe in the things that we believe—that ESOPs are good for our nation, our companies, and employees.
Sometimes that dislike for ESOPs can be harder to spot, because it is hidden under an apparent love for different forms of employee ownership.
Certainly, that is good news. But we can’t let that recent success cause us to remain ignorant of the fact there remain plenty of people who do not believe in the things that we believe—that ESOPs are good for our nation, our companies, and employees.
Sometimes that dislike for ESOPs can be harder to spot, because it is hidden under an apparent love for different forms of employee ownership.