Why Guidance is Important in the Transition to Employee Ownership
The transition to employee ownership can be difficult, thankfully there are many who can help
Employee ownership is a relatively new business structure in the United States. Throwing owners and employees into employee ownership may be intimidating without the right training. That’s why it is incredibly important to plan when adopting employee ownership
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Co-op Cindy has been assisting businesses with their movement toward employee ownership. They base their model on the longstanding Spanish Co-op Mondragon, paired with strong union connections. This creates the Union Co-op model, which is focused on the pursuit of employee ownership through collective bargaining. Co-op Cindy focuses on assisting local businesses to adopt this model of employee ownership.
The adoption process begins with Co-op U, a comprehensive 14-week training program designed to equip businesses with the knowledge and skills necessary to transition to employee ownership successfully. Co-op Cindy also continually revisits these businesses to ensure they are running smoothly. They also provide the necessary capital to make the transition. In all, Co-op Cindy has loaned over 1 million dollars and trained thousands for effective employee ownership and shows no sign of stopping.
Co-op Cindy is but one example of why outside forces are important when transitioning. Their programs provided the necessary resources, training, and capital for both small and large businesses to make the transition to employee ownership. they base their model on an already successful and demonstrate the need for education when it comes to employee ownership.