How Employee Share Ownership Plans Impact Cultural Perspectives
  - by Perry Phillips, President and Founder of ESOP Builders Inc.

It is estimated that less than 10% of the workforce actually own their own business. That means over 90% are employees. This statistic is important because owners and employees differ in how they think about business issues.

A study done by Ownership Thinking ™ on thousands of owners and tens of thousand of employees shows that these differences are profound and impact the level of success of the business. There is no judgement implied to these differences, it just points out the difference in perspective. And as we know; perception is reality. ... [More...]

Employee Ownership and Economic Well-Being
  - by Loren Rodgers, NCEO Executive Director

I'm writing to share results, released to the public today, from what I believe is one of the most important studies ever done on employee ownership.
 
In Employee Ownership and Economic Well-Being (report website; full PDF report of results), NCEO research director Nancy Wiefek, PhD, examines data on workers aged 28 to 34 and finds that the employee-owners simply are economically better off than their non-employee-owner peers. What's new in these findings is the connection between employee ownership and the fortunes of individual workers: for example, the employee-owners in the study have 92% greater median household net wealth than the non-employee-owners. ... [More...]

Three Questions That Will Improve Your Constructive Criticism
  - from the NCEO Newsletter

Few practices have as big an impact on employee morale and success as critical feedback, and few can be more challenging to get right. Effective feedback or evaluations can give employees and teammates the tools and support needed to not only leverage their strengths but improve on important aspects of their work. Doing this in a way that does not jeopardize relationships or an employee’s confidence and drive in the workplace can be tricky. Difficult conversations take effort, and giving constructive criticism that leaves an employee with positive feelings and direction as opposed to disappointment and resentment is critical to a company’s success. Here are several important questions to ask your own teams about having these conversations in the workplace. ... [More...]

2017 Canadian Employee Ownership Conference
 
Register now.  Registration closing soon for the 2017 conference being held at The Four Points by Sheraton Hotel and Conference Centre Gatineau-Ottawa from June 6 to 8.  Check the conference website for information on speakers and events.  See you in Gatineau! 

Private Equity Firm KKR Breaks the Mold by Sharing Ownership with Employees of Manufacturing Companies
  - from the NCEO Newsletter

Private equity investors typically share equity ownership with a select group of very senior managers. The conventional (if empirically wrong) wisdom is that the top echelon of management can "move the needle" on the value of a company, and only the top people understand and value ownership. ... [More...]

Almost Half of the 100 Best U.S. Companies Have Employee Ownership
  - from the NCEO Newsletter

Of the 73 corporate winners of Fortune’s 2017 100 Best Companies to Work For award, 35 had broad-based employee ownership plans (27 of the winners were nonprofits, partnerships, or other organizations that do not have stock). That is slightly down from prior years, when the percentage was just over 50%. Of the plans, five were ESOPs: W.L. Gore (12), Burns & McDonald (16), Publix (67), QuikTrip (76), and Sheetz (97). Gore, Burns & McDonald, and Publix are majority employee-owned. Seventeen companies, almost all in technology, have broad-based equity grants, and most of them also have employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs). The remaining winners have some form of broad-based stock purchase plan. Baird and PCL are both majority employee-owned through these plans by a majority of their employees. Companies have to apply to be on the list, and it is traditionally overweighted toward technology and healthcare providers.

All the Canadian ESOP Guidance You Need in One New Book

ESOPs in Canada: How to Implement an Employee Share Ownership Plan to Grow and Exit Your Business with Your Legacy Intact is a comprehensive and practical guide to every aspect of designing and implementing an Employee Share Ownership Plan in Canada.
 

“This is a must read for those business owners thinking about exploring the notion of employee ownership and discovering that “skin in the game” for those on the front lines of leadership is a secret weapon to surpassing your wildest dreams and forecasts! It is magic”

~ Doug Flynn, CEO, Flynn Group of Companies

Notable Quotables
"There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed." -- Ray Goforth

Upcoming ESOP Events
See ESOP Builders events page for details on upcoming ESOP events. 

Canadian ESOP and Ownership Thinking Books

ESOPs in Canada: How to Implement an Employee Share Ownership Plan to Grow and Exit Your Business with Your Legacy Intact (2015) by Perry Phillips and Camille Jensen.  Buy this book on Amazon or FriesenPress.

The $10 Trillion Opportunity: Designing Successful Exit Strategies for Middle Market Business Owners: A Guide for Professional Advisors - Canadian Edition (2007) by Perry Phillips and Richard E. Jackim.  Buy this book on Amazon. 　
　
Dr. Carol Beatty's book, Employee Ownership: The New Source of Competitive Advantage (published by Wiley and Sons 2001 - ISBN 0-471-64641-5).  Buy this book on Amazon.
　
Brad Hams' book, Ownership Thinking: How to End Entitlement and Create a Culture of Accountability, Purpose, and Profit (published by McGraw-Hill 2011- ISBN-10: 0071772456 - ISBN-13: 978-0071772457).  Buy this book on Amazon.

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