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16 April 2012

How to get your employees to think and act

like owners

byTony Brown

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Encouraging employees to think and act like owners is the holy grail for all businesses. The mosteffective way to achieve this is by aligning the goals and interests of key employees with thoseof the owners. Sounds difficult?Not if you've considered Employee Share Ownership.

There are 3 distinct roles in every organisation: Technician, Manager and Entrepreneur. Yourreward system can provide the opportunity for employees to take on all roles.

First set out the short and long term needs and objectives for yourself, your organisation and itsemployees. This article addresses only the financial components in meeting those needs. Otherneeds, such as social and personal growth, are met in other ways.

General Compensation StructureConsider a three-level compensation structure that complements these needs:

1. Base salar y- the going rate for a person with the skills and experience.

2. Shor t-term Incenti ves- team and individual performance bonuses.

Encourages focus on the achievement of business goals

Allows employees to share in profits

Rewards for meeting targets eg. quarterly payments

3. Long-termI ncenti ves- employee share ownership plans. This arti cle focuses on long termincentives.

Long Term Incentives

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Four types of share-based long-term incentives are considered:

Real shares

Real share options

Phantom shares

Phantom share options

The choice will depend on the structure of the business, future plans for the business and itsowners, and the intended outcomes of the plan.

Benefits

Each of these structures achieves the objective of aligning an employees goals with those of theowners, the benefits of which include:

For employers:

o Promotes increased productivity.

o Encourages a strong personal interest in raising the corporation's profits.

o Gives employees a reason to contribute to the growth of your business.

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o Encourages initiative.

o Fosters an ownership culture.

o Provides incentive to attract high calibre employees - improves the ability torecruit the kinds of people that help the business prosper.

o Promotes employee retentiongives them another reason to stay.

For employees:

o Provides an opportunity for employees to share in the growth of the company.

o Reward for contribution toward growing the business.

o Gives employees more rights and responsibility, as well as risks and rewards.

o

Encourages greater commitment, provided they understand how their work affectsshare values.

o Provides an opportunity for employees to accumulate wealth.

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o May provide the chance to participate in a public offering or sale of the company.

Depending on how the plan is structured:

Neednt force the owner to give up control.

Can be subject to vesting requirements.

Can be forfeited upon an employee's termination or departure.

Can be repurchased using payment schedules.

1. Real Shares

Shares can be either granted or sold to employees.

Benefits

Simple implementation.

Employer does not have to pay out cash if employees sell the shares; others may buythem if there is a market for them.

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A way to sell down ownership to employees.

Disadvantages

On-going administrative costs of real share plans may be prohibitive. For a privatecompany with 20 employees, setting up a share ownership plan could cost $30-40,000 inadvice and $5-10,000pa to run.

Additional ASIC requirements to consider.

Generally no tax benefits, unless qualifying criteria are met.

Dilutes ownership and share value.

Small, closely held companies that dont want to go public or be sold may find it difficultto create a market for the shares, making them difficult to sell.

Real shares may need to be repurchased under the terms of a buy/sell agreement when anemployee departs or is terminated.

Selling your Business through an Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP)

One way to sell your business to your employees is through an ESOP. 12% of all business salesin the USA are now made to "all employee" entities. This includes MBOs.

ESOPs are tax-qualified employee benefit plans that invest primarily in shares of theemployer.

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An ESOP may suit business owners who want to move gradually into retirement,providing a transition plan.

Tax

Care is required regardingFringe Benefits Tax (FBT), Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Payroll tax.

There are tax concessions designed to encourage the establishment of ESOPs in Australia. Thesemay be available to an individual selling the business to an ESOP and the employeesparticipating in the plan. Qualifying plans provide shares or rights tax free to participants. No taxis payable on receipt.

The tax incentives and benefits of employees having ownership in the business make such plansattractive even when business owners wish to sell only part of their businesses.

2. Share Options

Share options grant employees the right to buy company shares at a specified price within aspecified period. The price at which the options are provided usually reflects the value of thecompany at the time the options are granted. Employees hope that the value will go up. If theshares are openly traded, they will be able to "cash in" by exercising (purchasing) the options atthe lower price and then sell the shares at the current market price.

The benefits of Share options are limited to the increasein value of the shares overthe exercise price of the options, rather than the underlying value of the shares. This distinction isimportant, as the stronger the company's growth the greater the reward.

Employees typically do not ownthe shares outright when options are granted. Share options vest(or become theirs to exercise) over a period of time, usually a number of years they stay with thecompany.

Benefits

Reward employees based on the increase in value of the company.

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For growth-oriented smaller companies, options are a great way to preserve cash whilegiving employees a piece of future growth.

Granting options incurs no charge to earnings.

Disadvantages

Option plans that allow employees to sell their shares a short period after granting do notcreate long-term ownership vision and attitudes.

3. Phantom Equity

Large companies have the advantage of offering employees share options, but these may not bepractical for start-ups and smaller businesses. Not every company owner wants to open up theshare register to others.

Instead of giving employees real shares, a phantom equity program gives employees somethingthat looks and feels like shares, but without transferring actual shares. Phantom shares andphantom share options mimic the company's real shares and options but offer no rights to actualshares.

There are a number of situations that might call for a phantom share plan:

The owners want to share the economic value of equity, but not equity itself.

The owners have considered real equity plans but found the rules too restrictive orimplementation costs too high.

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The company is a division of another company, can create a measurement of its equityvalue and wants employees to have a share in that value.

Phantom equity is an agreement between the owner and the employee which rewards theemployee based on growth of the company. It is simply a promise to pay a bonus in the form ofthe equivalent of either the value of company shares or the increase in that value over a period oftime.

Most phantom share agreements provide for paying bonuses to employees as though they ownedshares. The bonus may be paid in cash, real shares, share options, promissory notes or otherconsideration.

Hypothetical shares are allocated by book entry to an employees account. As the value of thecompany grows, so does the value of the phantom shares. If the employee remains with the

company until the end of the restriction period, then the phantom shares are converted into actualshares or cash, or both. The employee is entitled to receive the difference between the marketshare value and the phantom share value. This payment is sometimes received in instalments.

The owner effectively buys back the phantom shares with cash or pays out the increase in the

value of the shares; or can convert to real shares.

A written agreement and a corporate resolution are drawn up. The arrangement is valid if:

the corporation receives some type of adequate consideration for the payments to the planparticipants; and

there is a reasonable relationship between the value of the services rendered by theparticipant and the benefits granted to the participant under the compensation plan.

Rights of the employees, particularly as to their ability to redeem phantom shares, must becarefully structured to ensure the correct tax treatment and the desired deferred compensationincentives to attract and retain employees.

Benefits

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Flexible - can be tailored to precise business objectives as there are no regulatoryrequirements to be met.

The benefits can be directly related to the achievement of designated criteria.

Phantom share options can be converted to real shares without causing as much dilution,as there are fewer shares than would be needed with real share options.

Can be tied to how long employees stay with the company and how well the businessperforms.

Gives employees the economic benefits of owning shares without any actual transfer ofshares.

Allows employees to participate in the financial rewards of ownership without having avoting interest and without the complications associated with having additionalshareholders in the company.

There is no dilution of the ownership rights of existing shareholders as no share istransferred on exercise of the option.

Phantom shares can disappear, based on certain triggering events (ie. If an employeeleaves within a set period).

Phantom shares can also be valued using any formula that an owner and his advisorsdeem appropriate.

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Employer is free to pick as few or as many participants as needed, with completeflexibility for each participant's plan design.

No cash outlay to purchase phantom shares.

Administration cost of the plan is minimal.

Tax advantages are attractive to both business owners and employees. When theemployee receives phantom shares, the receipt is not taxable income to the employeeuntil he or she actually receives the money or other benefit. The company is entitled to a

tax deduction for the full cost of payments under the plan.

Disadvantages

These programs are usually unfunded, with the benefits dependent on the solvency of thecompany at the time the funds are to be paid.

If paid out as cash bonuses, this can impose a cash drain on the company. Issue too manyshare options, and you may have to pay out an enormous amount of cash.

Superannuation guarantee contributions are payable.

4. Phantom Share Options

The phantom share option plan works in the same way as a company share option plan, where

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the bonus is determined by reference to the increase in value of the shares subject to the option.The difference is that no shares are actually issued or transferred on the exercise of the phantomshare option. The benefits, however, can be just as real.

Benefits

Rewards are based only on the increase in the value per share between the date of theaward and the date of distribution.

There is no exercise cost to the employee, as there would be with a real share option.

With options, the employees only participate in the additional value that they help todeliver and do not participate in the value that already existed.

Phantom Shares vs Phantom Share Options

With phantom shares the employee receives the underlying value of the shares, as well asany appreciated value. Whereas, with options, the employee receives only theappreciation in the share value.

Phantom shares are a benefit in themselves, whereas options only reward employees forincreases in company value.

Design Considerations

The success of the employee share ownership plan depends on the employer choosing the correctplan to achieve the desired goals.

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Prepare a shareholder's agreement - a written plan document specifying the following:

A. Class of shares and their rights:

o Special classes of shares exclusively issued and held by employees. Eg non-voting common or preferred shares.

B. Quantity:

o Work out the number of shares or share options to make available.

o

Avoid giving out too much to early participants and not leaving enough for lateremployees. Consider how many staff youllhave, so that the right number ofshares is granted each year. A common error is to grant too many options toosoon, leaving no room for additional options to future employees.

o Each employee who participates in the plan is granted a certain number of sharesor options.

o Place a limit on the total number of units that may be outstanding at any one timeand the number that may be awarded to any one employee.

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C. Decide who can receive and when:

o Which employees are eligible to receive the shares or options eg all or only keyemployees.

o The basis of making available eg. time, % of salary or perceived value to theorganisation.

o When employees qualify to receive them, eg. after 6 or 12 months

o Rate at which employees can receive options over the course of their career.

o For each year employed, opportunity to earn additional options, which will alsovest over time.

D. Holding Period

Require a minimum holding period. If the employee leaves before the holding periodexpires, the employee forfeits the shares.

If the employers sole objective is retention, the forfeiture provisions may be based solelyon the passage of time (eg. a five-year cliff vesting schedule, meaning the award does notvest at all until the end of the fifth year, at which time it becomes 100% vested).

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E. Valuation:

Determining what your company is worth is essential when setting up the share plan and makingother financial arrangements. Owners often think they know their companys value, but they may

be shockingly misinformed. Most misjudge the value of their businesses by 50% or more. So besure your business is properly appraised before implementing any financial plan.

o A Good Valuation is essential.

o Decide how the shares will be valued and who will determine the value.

o Define a formula or methodology for valuing the shares.

o Provide for an objective valuation method which is perceived as fair by theparticipants.

o Avoid static valuation formulas as these may negatively influence employeesbehaviour.

o Consider professional valuations or a group of indices, such as earnings per share,return on assets, return on equity.

o Valuation of phantom shares can be based on a simple standard such as thecurrent book value of actual company shares.

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o As the value of the company rises, so does the value of the phantom shares.

F. Vesting Schedule

o Help retain key individuals through the use of vesting schedules which giveemployees ownership of their shares gradually over a specified time period.

o The employee only obtains the benefits by remaining with the company for acertain number of years.

o Establish a universal vesting schedule or tailor to individual circumstances.

o The vesting schedule may be designed with specific objectives in mind.

o You can negotiate vesting individually to take into account the person's age andhow much value you expect him or her the employee to bring to the companyover the short and long term.

o Vesting periods of 5 and 10 years have been used ie. 20% and 10% pa.

o Each year for 10 years the employee earns shares equal to a % share of thecompany's assessed value.

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o If the objective is a combination of retention and performance, the vestingprovisions can be tied to the achievement of certain financial targets.

G. Conversion of Options to Shares

o After the shares are fully vested, convert the options to shares by buying them forthe option price.

o Decide when the options can be exercised.

o If you hope your employees will buy the shares and keep them, you may alsowant to provide assistance in financing the exercise price through employee loanprograms. Eg. low or interest-free loan.

H. Payouts

o Design the rules and timing for the withdrawal of earnings under the plan.

o You can also establish a payout period, after which time you will redeem thephantom shares for cash. In other words, your people do not have to leave the

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company in order to cash in their shares. You have some flexibility in determiningthe timing of the payment of phantom shares.

o

At the end of that time, the employee may cash out over a 10-year period,collecting not more than 10% of the accumulated value each year.

o Define the terms and conditions under which shares can be sold, eg. only back tothe company or on the open market if available.

I. Transfer Restrictions

o Eg. cannot be exercised by anyone other than the option holder.

o Cannot be transferred by the option holder other than by will or by the laws ofdescent.

J. Employee Beneficiaries

o Designation of beneficiary and a contingent beneficiary for each employee.

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K. Restrictive Covenants

o Employees may be required to agree not to compete with the company, not tobecome a competitor's employee after retirement or solicit employees orcustomers for a number of years following termination of employment.

o Employees may be required to agree to remain employed by the company for acertain number of years or until retirement.

o An employee must carefully weigh the benefits of participating in the plan and theassociated decreased career mobility.

L. Escrow

o The company may use a restriction period to prevent any employee who leaveswithin a set number of years from receiving shares or cash.

M. Change of ownership

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o Provisions to make the contract binding, even if someone else purchases thecompany.

N. Accounting

o Each unit reflects a percentage of the total value of the company.

o The employer establishes a "share account" for each participant.

o The employee is credited with "shares."

o A bookkeeping entry is made to that account each time shares are granted to theparticipant.

o Each year the employee becomes vested in shares in accordance with the writtenagreement.

O. Funding

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o The plan can be informally funded to offset all costs on an annual, after-tax basisand to recover all costs over the working lives of the participants.

P. For a Phantom Share Option Agreement

o Set the minimum exercise price for the shares.

o Set the period during which the options may be exercised.

o Define specific periods for exercising the options under the plan.

o The company must decide whether it should grant options with an open-endedcommitment as to the amount of bonus which may become payable when theoptions are exercised. It is fairly common to place a cap on the amount of bonuswhich is payable. There are several ways to cap the payment.

o The company can also establish a policy in connection with the grant of options.Exercising of options can be subject to performance targets.

Q. Tax

There is no difference from any other salary or cash bonus plan. The employee does notrecognise income when the phantom shares are granted, but must recognise ordinary income

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upon receipt of the cash bonus. The employee is taxed at ordinary income tax rates, and theemployer receives a tax deduction at the same time.

The employee can effectively defer payment of taxes on this benefit until a liquidity event orretirement occurs. The time value of deferring these taxes can be significant.

When the company pays an employee to redeem phantom shares, the company can treat it as anexpense rather than a repurchase of shares and the company receives a tax deduction.

When the right to the benefit is exercised, the value of the award is taxed as ordinary income and

is deductible to the employer. If the award is settled in shares, the amount of the gain is taxableat exercise, even if the shares are not sold. Any subsequent gain on the shares is taxable ascapital gain.

Where to go from here?

We recommend you educate yourself further and hire the right people to help you through theprocess. This will include your Accountant or other Professional Advisor with experience inimplementing employee share structures. Your Accountant can provide specialized advice acrossthe key accounting and tax areas which will need to be considered in your individual

circumstances. Whilst Supertrac's advisor network includes qualified accountants, specialistadvice is required to determine the optimal structure for your business circumstances (if any).This article is based on research for our own organisation, as well as an accumulation of piecesof advice received from Clients' Advisors in the past. We recommend you consult with yourAccountant or other Professional Advisor qualified to provide advice on your specific situation.Tagged in:business improvement0inShare1 Comment

Tony Brown(View Google Profile)

Tony Brown is Managing Director of Supertrac, a corporate advisory firm specialising inbusiness divestments, mergers and acquisitions in the SME market across Australia and NewZealand.

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Developing your mental toughness can help you be more emotionally resilient, push you to gofurther and harder, and build armor to persevere against the bullets that life fires your way. It'snot as easy to just "be tougher," though. Here are some tactics to toughen up your mind for life'shard knocks.

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What is Mental Toughness?

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check when something in your life seems overwhelming and you need to be strong. Essentially,mental toughness is the voice in the back of your head that tells you to keep going, keep pushing,and keep trying, even when the going gets tough. They say "life's tough, get a helmet." Thesetactics can help you create the helmet you need.

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Game-ready leaders have the ability to absorb the unexpected and remain supple and non-defensive. They maintain humor even when the situation becomes tough. If something isn't goingwell or doesn't turn out as expected, they remain flexible in their approach and look for newways to solve the problem. Just like a quarterback faced with a broken play, a leader may have todecide quickly on a different way to get the ball down the field.

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Recalibrate Your Reality

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One way to build emotional resilience is by owning what's happening to you instead of runningaway to seek comfort. The Navy SEALs have a saying: "Get comfortable being uncomfortable."You can't get stronger if you stay in your comfort zone at all times. Learning to becomfortable with uncomfortable situations will force you to learn from the situation instead ofescape from it. Maria Bogdanos at PsychCentral explains thepositive things you can do when

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Even if you maintain realistic expectations, and you're capable of keeping emotions in check,you still need some motivation from inside of you to keep on keepin' on. Whether you're tacklinga problem, handling a difficult life event, or looking for a way to push yourself harder duringyour next workout, you need to stay motivated. So where do you find motivation? The simpleanswer is that you have to ask yourself, "why?"

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days, and other days you might lazily avoid it, but if you keep at it, eventually you'll maintainyour simple habit without thinking about it.

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Some things aren't always worth your time, though. You are a capable person, and you can get

through whatever comes your way, but you can't impact every single thing out there. You haveto accept that you can only control so much. Jeff Haden at Inc. suggestsputting aside thingsyou can't controlto save energy for the things you can:

Mental strength is like muscle strengthno one has an unlimited supply. So why waste yourpower on things you can't control? For some people, it's politics. For others, it's family. Forothers, it's global warming. Whatever it is, you care,and you want others to care. Fine. Do what

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you cando: Vote. Lend a listening ear. Recycle, and reduce your carbon footprint. Do whatyoucan do. Be your own changebut don't try to make everyone else change.

Remember, mental toughness is about building the strength and resilience to do the things youneed to do and the things you want to do. Don't make it harder on yourself by trying to keep

strong for something that doesn't benefit you or your goal. Some things you just have tocompletely let go.

Developing mental toughness is a process and it's not something you can conjure overnight. Ittakes a lot of patience and a conscious effort to become more resilient. Some things are biggerthan all of us, but mental toughness can be your armor that glances the smaller blows away. Ifyou have reasonable expectations, control over your emotions, strong motivation, and thepatience to see things all the way through, you won't ever sweat the small stuff and you'll bebetter equipped to handle the big things in your life