Horizon Platforms in Normanton shares secrets to switching to employee ownership

Businesses looking to transition to employee ownership should take advice from firms that have already been through the process, according to a platform hire company.
By Ismail Mulla
Published 27th Dec 2021, 11:45 BST
Founder Ben Hirst said: “This was the biggest piece of communication we had ever landed into the team, so of course we were nervous."Founder Ben Hirst said: “This was the biggest piece of communication we had ever landed into the team, so of course we were nervous."
Founder Ben Hirst said: “This was the biggest piece of communication we had ever landed into the team, so of course we were nervous."

Horizon Platforms became employee-owned in February 2021 and says it found it “so helpful to get other perspectives” during the year-long process.

The Normanton-based company added that the “invaluable advice” it received from Employee Ownership Association (EOA) members helped it see the benefit of taking its employees “on that journey with us”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The ownership of the access rental business, which was formed in 2008 and has a fleet of 850 aerial platforms managed from its depot near Wakefield, has moved to an employee ownership trust (EOT) to allow its 75 staff to have a stake and a say in the company.

The business shared the lessons it learnt from the process at the EOA Annual Conference 2021 to help others considering transitioning or those just starting out on their journey.

Founder Ben Hirst said: “This was the biggest piece of communication we had ever landed into the team, so of course we were nervous. We majored on the point that at some point in time all businesses have to change ownership, that we’re getting our ducks in a row and planning for the future.

“We as the founders and owners are going nowhere, and we were keen to offer reassurance that this is good for them, good for the organisation and allows Horizon to live on for the long term.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lucy Normanton, director of people and internal communications at Horizon, said: “I think the changes we made on the back of advice we had from others really helped for the news to land as it did.”

On the advice of other employee-owned businesses, Horizon also took the step for the announcement to be made by the leadership team, not the founders, so that it came “from the buyers, not the sellers”.

---

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today.

Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you'll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers.

So, please - if you can - pay for our work. Just £5 per month is the starting point. If you think that which we are trying to achieve is worth more, you can pay us what you think we are worth. By doing so, you will be investing in something that is becoming increasingly rare. Independent journalism that cares less about right and left and more about right and wrong. Journalism you can trust.

Thank you

James Mitchinson

Related topics:NormantonWakefieldYorkshire