Ownership at Work: News & Opinions


New EO think tank Chief Exec targets national recovery and social impact

Ownership at Work – the employee ownership (EO) sector’s new think tank – has appointed an interim Chief Executive who wants to prove beyond doubt the significant social and economic benefits EO businesses can drive in post-pandemic recovery. Campbell McDonald has taken on a six-month interim role as the organisation’s first Chief Executive with a mission to help advance the EO sector’s research base and strengthen the case behind increasing levels of EO in the UK economy. Campbell said: “When you work in the employee owned sector it’s all too easy to ...

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Report highlights how EO redesigns work that can help the UK to Build back Better

Ownership at Work has released a new report that delves into the experience of employee owners to reveal a business model that’s fit for the future. Ownership at Work has released a new report that delves into the experience of employee owners to reveal a business model that’s fit for the future. The paper entitled "Redesigning Work - Employee Owners Speak"; shows a business model uniquely equipped to cope with the challenges of the pandemic - companies that are resilient, agile and capable of rapid change; thanks to shared ownership and reward, high levels of ...

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OPINION: A new deal for workers to drive our national recovery

If Covid has taught us one thing it’s that all workers are key to our communities and the economy. There’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to harness this energy, boost productivity and create a more equal society through employee ownership. By Campbell McDonald and Clayton Hirst Walk down any street in the UK and chances are you’ll see one. Draped over fences, behind windows and pinned to front doors are rainbow banners thanking the country’s key workers for helping us during this terrible pandemic. As the country begins to emerge from the health ...

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PRESS RELEASE: EMPLOYEE STAKE IDEA OFFERS SOLUTION TO SAVE FURLOUGHED ‘AT RISK’ JOBS

UK: A scheme that could save thousands of furloughed jobs in small businesses and turn employees into shareholders is proposed in a new report – A Partnership Fund for Jobs - published today. The plan would let employees turn part of their pay into shares in the business where they work, with Government matching that sum via the British Business Bank. Employees’ and Government’s investments would be in the form of convertible loans, carry interest at 8% per annum and would be converted into equity after 3-5 years. Author Nigel Mason says the plan would reduce ...

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New paper reveals how employee ownership changes the art of leadership

A new paper published today by Ownership at Work and Grant Thornton UK LLP investigates an emerging model of leadership that puts power in the hands of employees. Authored by eminent business and management writer, Stefan Stern, the paper is based on a series of interviews with the leaders of ten employee owned businesses. Currently turning over a combined £30bn plus annually, employee owned organisations demonstrate exceptional productivity, performance and employee engagement. The paper concludes that shared ownership, and what it takes to lead employee ...

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Report urges finance sector to ‘grab opportunity’ to invest in EO

UK: It’s time for the finance sector to address a missed opportunity that has resulted in the unmet needs of more than half of the employee owned sector. This is the finding of a new report published by employee ownership think tank Ownership at Work, entitled Capital Partners? Why it’s time for finance and employee ownership to talk. Authored by Industry experts Capital for Colleagues’ (C4C) David Gorman and Baxi Partnership’s Ewan Hall, the report highlights that employee ownership is growing quickly through the employee ownership trust (EOT) model, which ...

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Guest Blog: A new think tank with a clear answer

By Clayton Hirst Here is a little quiz to test your political knowledge: The following statements were recently made by the three main political parties - the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Simply match the statement to the party. “A well-functioning economy… should encourage alternative models such as mutuals, social enterprises or community interest companies." "Boards should take account not just of shareholders but employees, suppliers and the wider community." “Employee ownership increases a company’s productivity and encourages ...

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Next generation EOT could help to address UK’s profound wealth gap

New think tank Ownership at Work releases ideas that could increase the individual wealth of 1.5 million employees UK: A radical plan to encourage more companies to give employees a stake in the business in which they work could create 1.5 million employee owners by 2030 and the biggest share out of wealth in a generation, according to a report published today. From helping to close the pension gap to allowing employees to build their own capital stake, the ideas for a next generation EOT could create a shift in wealth and ownership in the UK. In Equity for All, ...

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