How I transformed my firm with employee ownership

Equity Group Executive Director, Mary Wamae, Equity Group Chairman Prof. Isaac Macharia, Equity Group Managing Director and CEO Dr. James Mwangi and Equity Group Chief Operating Officer, Samwel Kirubi during the Group’s 20th Annual General Meeting. Equity Group Shareholders approved a record Kes. 15.1 billion dividend payout for a second year in a row and Employee Share Ownership Programme Trust Deed and Scheme Rules. The Shareholders also approved Group restructuring to create a health insurance subsidiary and a Banking Group, to create four groups under Banking, Insurance, Technology and Foundation Group.[Wilberforce Okwiri,Standard]

As a business leader who recently decided to transition to an employee-owned business model, I’m sharing insights into the vast benefits for both the business and employees based on first-hand experience.

As CEO and founder, I recently decided to turn ZenToes into an employee-owned business. I am already seeing the incredible benefits for my team and the company as a whole. In this model, all employees hold a share of the company’s equity, aligning the interests of employees with the overall goals and success of the business. At ZenToes, we felt it essential to foster a sense of ownership and shared purpose to ultimately drive innovation, enhance employee well-being and satisfaction, and contribute to a distribution of company success.

In this article, I’ll elaborate on the benefits of adopting an employee-owned business model, which I’ve personally experienced over recent months since making the transition at ZenToes. I’ll demonstrate how it can lead to more engaged employees, improved company performance and a stronger, more resilient organisational culture.