At Baxendale Employee Ownership we have a long history of supporting employee-owned businesses, before, during and after they become employee owned.  We are an employee owned business ourselves and are able to offer a unique combination of practical and technical support.

One of the ways we support existing employee-owned businesses is via an employee ownership review. An employee ownership review is an opportunity to revisit and look in detail at the systems of governance within your employee-owned business, to ensure everything is working well, and identify areas where improvements can be made.

The review can look at the relationships between key stakeholders, such as board, trust employees and employee councils.   It may look at how key decisions are made, how information is communicated and/or whether employee participation and employee voice are effective.

Employee ownership reviews often take place at key milestones in the life of an employee- owned business; for instance once the vendor debt is repaid, or after major changes to the trust board or the board of the company.

A review can also be used to address a perceived problem, for instance, the relationship between the trust and board may need to be on a clearer footing, there may be ambiguity about relationships between stakeholders, or employees may be unengaged with the employee owned structure or unsure what it means for them.

We understand that different businesses have different reasons for wanting to undertake a review and that employee ownership works best when the structures and processes are designed to suit the business, it’s ways of working and the needs of its various stakeholders.   In addition, the governance structures put in place when the transition takes place do not necessarily remain fit for purpose later on, for example once the vendor debt is cleared.

To support employee owned businesses to review their employee ownership structures and processes, we work through a five-stage review process:

1. Plan – clarify aims and desired outcomes, understand who needs to be consulted
2. Review – review and understand current structures and processes
3. Workshop – work with a project team to determine where change is necessary
4. Report – report and share outcomes and recommendations
5. Action – implement agreed changes to constitutional documents, structures and processes

If an employee ownership review is of interest then get in touch for a free initial consultation to help you decide whether a review would be right for you and your business.

Contact Emily Alston: emily.alston@baxendale-eo.co.uk for more information