New ESOPs - Workplace Development, Inc.

Custom Materials Connect Employees to Your ESOP Story

Cathy Ivancic2019-02-02T05:26:17+00:00February 2, 2019|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits, Featured, New ESOPs|

“An ESOP can be complicated to understand,” says Sondra Campbell, Controller at Omico Plastics in Owensboro, KY. “The large amount of information contained in Annual Participant Statements can also be very confusing. If employee owners don’t understand the benefit and what it means for them personally, they won’t view the ESOP as the tremendous benefit that it is.” This is why she decided to get materials that told the unique Omico Plastics story. Click here to read the full article.

What is Employee Ownership Month?

Cathy Ivancic2018-08-06T20:19:22+00:00August 6, 2018|Blog, Communicating ESOP Benefits, ESOP Committee Development, New ESOPs|

Every October, employee-owned companies, service providers and employee-ownership organizations celebrate Employee Ownership Month nationwide. It has both internal and external benefits for ESOP-owned companies. As the ESOP Association puts it, “This is a terrific celebration of the spirit of employee ownership, and an invaluable opportunity [...]

Your Recruitment and Retention Edge: Employee Ownership

Cathy Ivancic2018-08-06T17:06:00+00:00August 6, 2018|Articles, Communicating ESOP Benefits, Featured, New ESOPs|

In June 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that U.S. companies added 233,000 jobs, extending the economy’s monthly job-creation streak to almost eight straight years. Given it’s getting harder to find and keep excellent employees, are you making the most of your company’s unique recruitment and retention edge: employee ownership? Click here to view the full article.

ESOP Thieves, Stop the Communication Crimes

Cathy Ivancic2018-05-14T14:14:38+00:00May 14, 2018|Articles, ESOP Committee Development, New ESOPs, Skills for ESOP Ownership, Skills for ESOP ownership|

No employee-owner has ever been arrested for committing a communication crime, but maybe we ought to start issuing some citations. Because poor communication can lead to dissatisfied customers, frustrated co-workers, bad business decisions and, ultimately, a lower ESOP stock value. And that’s a crime. There is hope . . .Click here to view the full article.

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.

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

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

Seeing the Power of a Dollar

Cathy Ivancic2016-11-07T17:53:34+00:00November 7, 2016|Communicating ESOP Benefits, Featured, New ESOPs|

Employees see things differently when they understand the line of sight between job level actions and company results. Actions at a job level that save a few dollars, improve efficiency, collect invoices a bit faster, or attract future customers are powerful building blocks in growing ESOP rewards. Shared ownership through an ESOP can only be engaging if employees can see and understand their own connection. This article outlines steps ESOP-owned companies can take to make those connections. 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.” [...]