UK EO Awards Highly Commended: Employees feel reward of ownership

Judges felt that Highly Commended Alfa Leisureplex Group gave a great account of how they brought EO to life for employee owners.

Alfa Leisureplex Group, which comprises 21 hotels and is also a tour and coach holiday operator in the UK and Europe, employs 700 people and became employee owned 2 years ago as part of succession planning from a family owned business.

With a big drive to embed employee ownership, Alfa has seen employees vote in the first three elected employee trustees, introduce employee engagement surveys and mini surveys, a new intranet area, a program of 23 Employee Ownership roadshows and a network of 25 workplace representatives.

Following its transition to employee ownership, Alpha has seen a growth in profits which resulted in a bumper increase in the dividend paid to employee owners of 144% in its second year.