Data-Driven ESOP transformation to make it more structured, transparent and market-aligned
Problem Statement
A logi-tech start-up had an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in place but faced significant challenges:
- The existing ESOP lacked transparency and well-defined formulas for granting stock options to employees, leading to confusion and dissatisfaction.
- The company lacked a methodical approach for allocating budgets to the ESOP pool annually, at both company-wide and departmental levels.
- Due to the ambiguous nature of the ESOP plan, employee coverage and the plan’s overall impact were significantly limited.
Approach & Solution: The entire project was managed and delivered in 4 phases:
Phase 1: Comprehensive Assessment:
- Conducted a thorough evaluation of the existing ESOP plan to understand the process and criteria basis which grants have been made in the past.
- Further analysis of the previous ESOP grant data and coverage to understand the impact of the ongoing process.
- Deep dive into the organization structure to classify the employees into categories basis which new plan had to be made like, role, job level, department, function (tech/non-tech), etc.
- Gathered insights on the market practice on ESOPs within the industry to benchmark and ensure competitiveness.
Phase 2: Redefining Grant Formulas and Criteria :
- Conducted analysis of the current compensation data to arrive at median salary ranges at role and job level, differentiated basis function, to form the basis of the grant formula.
- Developed clear and objective criteria for eligibility based on performance, potential, tenure and last grant, ensuring fairness and inclusivity.
- Formulated transparent grant formula differentiated at job level and function, with wider range (Min, Mid and Max) to cater to different levels of employee performance & potential.
Phase 3: Methodical Budgeting Process:
- Established a structured methodology for calculating and allocating budgets to the ESOP pool at the company and departmental levels.
- Implemented a data-driven approach considering %of eligible headcount, median salary and corresponding grant amount at mid-level to arrive at budgets.
Phase 4: Communication and Education:
- Leadership presentation and buy-in on the new plan details, including grant formula, coverage, eligibility criteria, etc. to ensure smooth cascading.
- Launched an extensive communication campaign to educate employees about the revamped ESOP, its benefits, eligibility criteria, and the new grant formulas.
- Conducted workshops and personalized sessions to ensure every employee understood the program’s mechanics and long-term implications.
Success: The success of our strategic overhaul of the ESOP plan, can be seen through the following achievements: