Horizon Platforms
Equipment rental business Horizon Platforms gives staff the chance to share in its success, thanks to the introduction of a co-ownership scheme last year. Apart from directors, members of the around 70-strong workforce also take a share of 10 per cent of the company's profits.
To celebrate this, Horizon ran a national Employee Ownership Day last year, which will become an annual event. Activities were organised and food, including made-to-order pizzas, provided. An ice-cream van turned up in time to greet drivers and engineers returning to base and the day finished with drinks in the canteen.
After it was formed in 2008, the company, which covers Yorkshire and Humberside, expanded rapidly. As staff numbers grew, it became apparent that the link between great customer service and a highly engaged team was critical to the organisation's success.
The profit-share scheme was introduced about four years ago to motivate staff and reward them. The move to employee ownership enhanced the scheme, as the annual payment is now tax free. This year, Horizon paid about £2,500 to each co-owner. Meanwhile, benefits including maternity, paternity and sick pay have been improved.
The recently launched "Altogether" branding shapes how the company communicates internally and with stakeholders. Weekly co-owners' meetings, which were introduced during the pandemic, have continued and are used to share business updates, linking them to strategy to ensure organisational clarity.