This page contains a complete list of all training and communications modules, listed by name.
- Capsule History of ESOPs
This module covers the roots of the 1974 ERISA legislation creating ESOPs, including background on Senator Russell Long, the primary sponsor of ESOP legislation, and Louis Kelso, the lawyer who invented the ESOP. Participants will leave with a sense for why ESOPs work the way they do and for the protections built into the law for ESOP participants.
- Company Vision
How does the vision of the company fit into employee ownership and into the rights and responsibilities framework?
- Cynicism
Some ideas about what ownership cynicism is and where it comes from can help prevent its emergence at a company. This module draws on employee interviews, client experiences, and cross-company data to paint a picture of cynicism and how it can be overcome.
- ESOP Committees
This training is a good opportunity to introduce or reinforce the role of your ESOP Committee. It can be a way to recruit members, or a way to increase the public exposure of committee members by having them participate in delivering the training.
- The ESOP Community
The experience of other companies in developing employee-ownership can be a powerful tool to make the culture change effort feel real. We can present case studies or arrange for a representative from another employee-ownership company to present.
- ESOPs and Company Ownership
This modules looks at the similarities and differences between ownership in a day-to-day context and ESOP ownership of a company. It explores a variety of issues: direct versus indirect ownership, individual versus dispersed ownership, and the “bundle” of ownership rights.
- ESOPs in the United States
Maps and simple statistics illustrate the broad trends in ESOP adoption in the United States, with a highlight on companies which are well-known to employees, including companies with national reputations. With minor research and customization, this module can also include local ESOP companies, and any vendors or customers which have ESOPs.
- Federal Oversight
A brief overview of the roles of the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor in ESOPs, designed to give ESOP participants confidence that ESOPs operate fairly and in accord with law and the intent of Congress.
- Legal Rights of ESOP Participants
This module explains what rights ESOP participants (or other employee owners) have, what rights they do not have, and what rights are based on the company’s initiative.
- The Ownership Incentive
This module explains how employee-ownership provides a direct individual profit motive for employees, and demonstrates how it is possible for employee-ownership to be a “win-win” arrangement.
- Research Highlights
A brief and accessible introduction to the research results documenting the effects of employee ownership on corporate performance, employee retirement assets, corporate longevity, and employee attitudes.
- The Role of the ESOP Trust
- The Role of the Valuation Firm
- The Role of the Administrator
- Structured Problem Solving
Using the tools from the basic Ownership Culture Training, employees are guided through a structured process to identify issues at the company that can be productively addressed and to come up with outlines of possible solutions.
