1. Why is being in an ESOP important to you?
I believe this is important as it redirects my mindset of who I work for and why. My drive is to always do my best, but I think this re-energizes my work ethic as my success and the success of my team directly affects the profitability of the whole company which in turn, benefits our ESOPs. The success of the company isn’t to just line the pockets of the C-suite staff. All of us benefit in our success. To have true ownership and stock in the company that you are putting so much of your life into, provides a pride of ownership that most employees don’t have the opportunity to experience. An ESOP also encourages longevity with a business, but in turn rewards employees that have put in years of faithful performance.
2. How does being in an ESOP affect your daily work?
As mentioned above, I think this helps me to stay energized knowing that my hard work has a direct impact on the bottom line, which I get the privilege to share ownership in. Also, knowing that others view this benefit similarly helps to create and maintain drive. I feel like this also provides initiative for me to find more effective and efficient ways to complete my daily work functions as this increases profitability as well.
3. How do you think an ESOP affects culture?
I think the ESOP mentality breeds a more synergized teamwork effort. It’s not just about one person doing well, but that all of us are in the same boat and rowing together. Even though we have a hierarchy of managers and staff, which is respected, I believe the knowledge that we are all working toward the same goal blurs the strictness of the structure and allows us to work together cohesively as a unit rather than as a group of individuals. I believe this mindset helps to create a culture that feels more like family than coworkers.
