Productivity is what every business owner wants, and the best way to increase productivity is to strengthen your employee’s commitment to your business. When designed and implemented properly, an ESOP should be a win for all existing owners, employees, customers and suppliers. Here are 5 reasons why an ESOP leads to better business productivity.
1. Better Employee and Business Alignment:
Better alignment between employees and business owners (because they both own shares in the same company) will ensure a common interest, a focus on common goals (most importantly growing the equity value of the business over time), and a reduction in the typical tension between “us and them.”
2. More Employee Productivity and Efficiency
Employees who are far more engaged and involved in the business are typically more productive and efficient. The academic research says productivity improvements of somewhere between 7% and 23% are common in employee-owned businesses.
3. Generous Tax Concessions
The generous tax concessions which accompany employee share ownership plans in Australia allow employees to earn more (in a more tax-effective way) without costing the company any more money. Therefore the share plan can be used to attract and retain better employees at a pricing advantage in the labour market.
4. Better Staff Retention and Career Pathways
Businesses with a succession plan are typically able to retain staff and provide them with career pathways and opportunities more openly than those without. By nature an employee share plan includes a succession plan; employees are able to purchase equity in the company they work for, and as older employees leave, new employees can “ take their place”. The opportunity for employees to become more involved in corporate governance and senior management roles is also better in employee-owned businesses.
5. More Aligned with Consumer Conscience
Consumer research has also shown that customers are more likely to buy from and are happy to pay a higher price to employee-owned business due to the perception that the quality and service standard will be much higher for employees that own the business. In this case, through the employee share plan, the company has a considerable competitive advantage over competitors.
Want to know more about how an ESOP can help your business?
Contact us today and book an obligation-free 30 minute appointment with a Succession Plus adviser to see how we can help you and your business.
