Business View Magazine - July 2023

47 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 7 defined career paths. This means that even if an individual’s current focus is on achieving short-term goals like purchasing a house, being part of an employee-owned company tends to offer more advantages. Additionally, the commitment to employee well-being and growth makes them a favorable choice for individuals seeking long-term benefits and opportunities. Assisting those making decisions regarding employee ownership is a task NCEO takes seriously, considering the options on a case- by-case basis. “We see our role as helping people make decisions that they will still feel good about in 10 years,” Rodgers says. “We try to let the information speak for itself. We don’t have any financial interest in what decision a current owner makes when they are thinking about selling to the employees.” He mentions that sometimes they may advise against an ESOP if it is not the right fit for the circumstances. The NCEO’s primary objective is to ensure that individuals and companies make informed decisions that align with their long-term goals and objectives. “A lot of the owners that we talk to are really concerned about being confident about the welfare of the employees that helped them build the business, they’re concerned about having the values that they infused the business with being protected by not having a private equity firm or a large public company being the owner and decision maker about it,” he relays. NCEO’s Events, Networking, and Educational Resources for Employee Ownership In addition to offering continuous guidance, the NCEO arranges several events throughout the year, including an annual conference that attracted 1,800 attendees in 2023. They also host smaller gatherings specifically designed for companies exploring the concept of employee ownership. The organization also offers webinars and opportunities to facilitate peer networking meetings, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration among members. “Whenever we get our members talking to each NCEO other it’s like this spark of magic, and suddenly they’re best friends and sharing ideas about how the business ought to work,” Rodgers portrays. In terms of educational materials, NCEO offers 60 different publications covering topics such as setting up and operating an ESOP, insurance, stock valuation, and the development of an ownership culture within organizations. “Ownership culture is a huge piece of what we do,” he says. “Those tend to be the most popular sessions at our conference. I think that is another reason that people choose to set up employee ownership and that people stay at employee-owned companies because they want to be part of the culture.” Employee Ownership Trends and Future Initiatives Rodgers reports that employee ownership continues to grow, with the most recent data indicating that the growth has primarily occurred within existing employee-owned companies, rather than an increase in the number of