An economic crisis could be the right time to start an ESOP

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While many businesses deferred thinking about implementing a shared ownership plan back in April, now may just be the right time to start taking action. Businesses have adapted and started to see the beginning signs of operations picking up again.

There are around 7,000 ESOPs in the US according to Mary Joseph’s article in Forbes (2020). A Deloitte (2018) found that about three quarters of publicly traded companies offer ESPPs (Employee Stock Purchase Plan). However, we want to see Canadian plans continue to rise. A plan can be set up many ways driven by the goals of the owner, the company, and the participants.

Joseph outlined some reasons why an ESOP should be implemented. In this blog we will use her concepts to similarly highlight some reasons but from a Canadian perspective.

  1. Company Performance – The most compelling purpose for a time like this is that ESOPs outperform non esop companies during tough times. This is seen in studies comparing companies’ sales, profits, hiring activities, etc. For example, the researchers at the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University found that ESOP companies grew sales during 2008-09 11.1% while non-employee-owned companies grew by just 0.61%.
  2. An Ownership Mindset – Employees are also owners and they have a different mindset toward their company and how it works compared to non-employee owners. Think about a renter of a building versus an owner. Employees think about things like their paycheck, Fridays, time off, or the “me mentality”. Owners think of things like sales, profit, expenses, clients, company projects, cash flow, etc. or the “us mentality”. Employee owners understand the bigger picture and are likely to find ways to boost sales and/or cut costs more so than if they were not an owner. When the company does well, everyone individually does well too. As a customer would you prefer to deal with the owner or someone who doesn’t have that level of stake in the company’s success? Usually the owner will be the one giving the best service. When all your employees are also owners client satisfaction soars. Research from the NCEO shows that employees at ESOP companies are less likely to be laid off. Recent research from Rutgers University (2018) also indicates that retirement accounts of employees at ESOP companies are significantly greater than those at non-ESOP companies.
  3. Successful Exit for the Founding Owner – It makes sense for the founding owner because sale to a third party is only successful about 50% of the time. Selling to your employees on the other hand has an 80% success rate. Why is this you may wonder? For a small or medium sized private Canadian company, third party offers may be hard to come by, and when they do they may not meet the expectations of the owner in terms of what the company is worth and what will happen to the company once the deal is done. Many of our clients want to share the success that their employees have helped create and continue the legacy of their business. The employees are already invested by way of the time and effort they have committed over the years, they are more likely to want to see the business succeed. Not to mention they already know their jobs, know how the company works, and know the clients. Additionally, the owner doesn’t have to share extensive financial and confidential information with a third party. The fact that it is also a lucrative and effective way for an owner to exit is an added bonus.
  4. Flexible Transition – Control can still rest with the founding owner until such time that they are ready to fully transition controlling ownership. Employee owners are not typically provided a seat on the board until they hold a significant ownership percentage. See our last blog post which talks about participation and what that can look like.

Overall, it is a win for all, the founding owners, the employees, and the economy. An added bonus is that it can support democracy by strengthening the wealth of the middle class without government intervention.

By Joanna Phillips, CHRL, CVB, Vice President, and Perry Phillips CPA, CA, CBV, President

You have an ESOP; now what?

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You have an ESOP; now what? ESOPs in Canada

Putting in place a new plan, any plan, is always only the first step; it never runs itself. ESOPs are no different. It is not a set it and forget it tool.
The ESOP transaction is over and has been well received; now the cultural transformation begins. The initial euphoria provides momentum for the work ahead, but how do you harness it into meaningful actions? Employees may be hesitant and uncertain about how to go about this. It is up to the board of directors and/or the leadership individual(s) to channel this new entrepreneurial energy and focus it on the goals of the corporation. The goal for the ESOP team is to instill a participative culture where the new employee-owners start to act and think like owners. The four areas of interaction with its employees are ownership, participation, training, and information. A challenge for companies transitioning to a true ESOP culture is how to communicate it in a meaningful way. There are many types of corporate information to be shared, including strategic, tactical, and investments. However, the one most commonly shared is company financial information. Some of our clients wonder, so be reassured: specific personal information about salaries is never disclosed.
The continuum of sharing of financial information stretches from sharing NO financial information to FULL transparency based on financial statements. In practice what does this look like? One of our clients decided to share quarterly and year-end financial statements with all employee-owners. To do this, they held town hall meetings quarterly, with highlights of company performance, and annually on a more expansive basis. Those attending were advised that the proceedings were to be kept confidential. At the annual meetings, summarized, condensed financial results were shown on the screen as the presenter explained them and answered employees’ questions. No personal identifying information was shown, no printed material was made, and no electronic material was distributed. However it allowed the new employee-owners to participate at a higher level than pre-ESOP and communicated important information in a way that employee-owners could make a meaningful connection to the results of their day to day work.

By Joanna Phillips CHRL, CVB, Vice President and Perry Phillips, CPA, CA, CBV, President