Employee Incentive ESOPs: An Equity Tool to Promote Engagement and Performance

Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are experiencing renewed interest in America. In recent years, new ESOP formation was largely driven by the aging of the Baby Boomer generation (widely defined as those born between 1946 and 1964), and their desire to liquify their ownership in closely held businesses while rewarding their employees. There are other new forces driving this trend—the quest for equitable solutions for the growing divide between have and have-nots, the need for employers to retain and reward employees in a competitive talent market, and succession planning. In this article, I will discuss how an Employee Incentive ESOP can be used to promote performance and engagement in a broad-based manner.