Articles - Workplace Development, Inc.

Engaging Employee Owners at Delta Managed Solutions

Cathy Ivancic2018-05-14T14:11:13+00:00May 14, 2018|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits, Featured, New ESOPs, Skills for ESOP ownership, Skills for ESOP Ownership|

How do you speed up the transition to engaged employee owners taking on more responsibilities in a founder-managed ESOP company? This was a question that Kelly McDole, founding CEO of Delta Managed Solutions (DMS) in Sacramento, needed to answer quickly in 2015. “I didn’t have the freedom to go slowly at this because of my health,” says McDole. “I was sick, and at the time it looked like I was getting sicker. I had to face the possibility that I may not be able to come into work in six months or a year.” Click here to view the full article.

March ESOP Madness: Plan for Statement Communication

Cathy Ivancic2018-03-11T19:09:12+00:00March 11, 2018|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits, New ESOPs|

It’s time to fill out your March Madness bracket. While we can offer no assistance on the NCAA Tournament (our brackets will be ruined at the end of day one, too) we can help you with another important event: your annual ESOP statement distribution process. Here’s six suggestions . . .Click here to view the full article.

Re-energize Your ESOP Annual Meeting

Cathy Ivancic2018-03-11T18:36:48+00:00March 11, 2018|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits|

Been there, done that with your annual ESOP meeting? Looking for a new way to convey your critically important ownership message? Add new energy to your communications with one of Workplace Development’s field-tested, ESOP-focused presentations. Working with your leadership or ESOP committee . . .Click here to view the full article.

Hey, Employee Owner: Do You Know Your Role and Responsibilities?

Cathy Ivancic2017-12-12T14:14:57+00:00December 12, 2017|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits, ESOP Committee Development, New ESOPs|

If you asked three people at your company what their roles are as employee owners, what answers would you hear? More importantly, would the responses be the same or even similar? At some ESOP firms, the answer to the last question is no. That's because defining employee owners’ roles and responsibilities is an ongoing challenge. Click here to read the full article

Changing up ESOP annual meetings at D-C Elevator

Cathy Ivancic2017-05-02T21:16:02+00:00May 2, 2017|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits, ESOP Committee Development, Featured|

“We’ve changed it up quite a bit over the years,” says Renny Ross, HR Manager at D-C Elevator Company, Inc. “When we started doing them, ten years ago, we really needed to cover the nuts and bolts and the basics. We wanted people to understand how paying down debt mattered for our success.” These days the company’s ESOP communication needs are different but Ross says that the in-person annual meetings are still an extremely important part of connecting with ESOP participants. Click here to read the full article.

Holding an annual meeting when you cannot meet

Cathy Ivancic2017-04-19T15:48:22+00:00April 19, 2017|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits, ESOP Committee Development|

“We created the ESOP to attract and, more importantly, retain talent so that we can meet the ongoing needs of our clients. By running part of our annual communication by webinar, we were able to connect with our professionals who work at client sites in 18 different states and 11 countries,” explains Dolores Connolly, CEO of Sterling Engineering. Click here to read the full text of the article.

Communicate the Deeper Meaning of a New ESOP

Cathy Ivancic2016-11-07T17:56:03+00:00November 7, 2016|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits, Featured, New ESOPs|

A collective gasp filled the room when employees heard Bernie and Pam Veldman announce last January that — after careful consideration — Dienen Inc. was being sold to new owners. The room was bursting with mixed emotions: fear of the future, sadness, confusion, and shock. Employees of this South Bend, Indiana, company fell silent for a few moments, then mustered a smattering of uncomfortable applause. Click here to read the full article

Multi-location ESOPs can learn from Pokémon launch

Cathy Ivancic2016-07-27T14:49:03+00:00July 27, 2016|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits, ESOP Committee Development|

This month the creators of the Pokémon Go smartphone game inspired millions of people all over the world to hunt for imaginary creatures and treasure. Given their success, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) leaders and communication committees with multiple locations may want to consider how the game creators were able to generate engagement and excitement even though none of the users share a geographic location. Click here to read the full article.

Understanding Roles & Responsibilities Matters in an ESOP

Cathy Ivancic2015-11-03T15:56:28+00:00November 3, 2015|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits, New ESOPs|

"The reactions we were seeing made no sense at all,” declared the V.P of Operations at an ESOP-owned service firm. “Employees were receiving contributions of more than 30% of their pay, stock value was going up, and yet we heard employees complaining bitterly about ESOP ownership.” [...]

Don’t jump into ESOP Committee waters with both feet

Cathy Ivancic2015-04-07T19:40:33+00:00April 7, 2015|Articles|

You attended an ESOP conference, heard an enthusiastic company speaker talk about the benefits of its ESOP Committee and right there, you decided you want to start one. Before violating the African proverb "a wise man does not jump into the water with two feet," here are some things to consider. Click here to read the full article.