Employee Ownership 101
What Is Employee Ownership—and Why Does It Matter?
Imagine working at a company where the people who stock the shelves, answer the phones, build the products, and run the numbers all have a stake in the success of the business. That’s the idea behind employee ownership—a model that’s been quietly transforming businesses across the country.
Ownership, Reimagined
At its core, employee ownership means that a business’s employees have an ownership interest in the company they work for. This can take different forms, but one of the most common and powerful models in the U.S. is the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Through an ESOP, a company sets up a trust that holds shares of the business on behalf of employees—often at no cost to them.
Over time, employees build equity in the company. When they retire or leave, they can cash out their shares. It’s a way of sharing the financial value of the business with the people who help create it every day.
Why Choose Employee Ownership?
For retiring business owners, selling to employees can offer a meaningful exit strategy. It rewards the team, preserves the company’s culture, and keeps jobs rooted in the community. And for employees, ownership can mean higher retirement savings, greater job stability, and a deeper connection to the work they do.
It’s also good for business. Research shows that employee-owned companies tend to outperform their peers in terms of productivity, retention, and resilience—especially during economic downturns.
Not Just an Exit Strategy—A Long-Term Vision
While employee ownership is often discussed in the context of succession planning, it’s more than just a graceful way to step away. It’s a way to build shared prosperity, strengthen local economies, and give workers a voice in shaping the future of their workplaces.
At Silver Surf, we believe more people should know about employee ownership—not as a niche idea, but as a bold and practical solution for the next era of business. Through real-world interviews and stories, we’re here to shine a light on what employee ownership looks like in action.