Alison Michalk.
Over the last fifteen years of running Quiip, I’ve been vocal about the fact that flexibility and workplace culture isn’t just about starting late on Wednesdays and having an office dog (or a ping pong table). It’s about a radical social contract - a commitment to seeing people as complete individuals sharing a purpose.
But if we are going to be truly honest about "radically human" workplaces, we have to talk about the one thing that still remains behind closed doors: capital.
Is your shared purpose a one-way street?
We see it everywhere in the agency landscape. We tout our B-Corp certifications, our "people-first" cultures, and our commitment to social impact. But beneath the surface, the financial structure remains a closed book. The "shared purpose" we talk about so often is frequently a one-way street: the team shares the owner’s purpose, but the owner doesn't necessarily share the financial rewards.
If we are serious about being purpose-led businesses committed to 'systems change,' we have to rethink our very foundation - capital distribution via Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOPs). That is to say, employees having the chance to own a stake in the business, and getting a share of the profits.
It’s time to be brave enough to ask the tough questions. If your people are "your greatest asset" - a term I dislike as much as "human resources" - why is the equity held by a tiny few?. If we are serious about challenging the modus operandi of the traditional agency, we have to look at how we redistribute the value we create together.
It may be a daunting concept, but starting with financial transparency is the first step. Bring employees on the journey of understanding the numbers, so they begin to ‘think like owners’. As often cited in the world of ‘open book management’, if you’re not transparent with the numbers, employees will speculate, and they’re often wrong.
Real Shares vs. Ghost Schemes
Whilst some agencies claim to have a version of an ESOP, often these are phantom schemes that promise a payout if the company sells, if certain astronomical targets are met, and if you happen to still be sitting in the same chair five years from now. They are carrots on long, fragile sticks.
At Quiip, we rolled out our ESOP in 2023, with 11% of the company currently owned by staff. I am thrilled to announce that our latest employee to join Quiip’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is Dan de Sousa. Since joining Quiip in 2019, Dan has led major client teams such as SBS and become a seasoned public speaker on social media moderation and online community management.
This isn't a "one day this might be worth something" scheme. These are real shares that employees own. They are not “sweat equity” because as a mature business, I did the sweating over ten years ago. And as a 24/7 business, that’s a lot of sleepless nights.
When we talk about an ESOP, we aren't talking about a remix of a bonus structure. We are talking about genuine ownership. It is an acknowledgment that the value of Quiip isn't housed in a trademark or a CEO’s office; it lives in the collective brilliance of our people. When staff accept the offer to join the ESOP, we are ensuring that the capital is redistributed to those who accept the risk and reward of doing business.
Radical Redistribution
This is about thinking of roles differently. When a team member becomes a shareholder, the social contract shifts. You are no longer just asking someone to "do their best work”; you are inviting them to own a stake in a company, and become invested in its success. Both culturally and financially.
For agency owners, this requires a level of vulnerability. It means admitting that you don’t need to own 100% of the pie to lead effectively, nor should you. In fact, the more you share, the more "radically inclusive" your business becomes. It forces you to move away from the "ideal worker" myth and toward a collaborative model where everyone has skin in the game.
Don’t Get Left Behind
The rise of automation and AI means our "human" value is more precious than ever. The future of the agency world isn't just flexible; it’s equitable. Radical flexibility was just the beginning. The next frontier is radical ownership.
To the "purpose-driven" owners watching from the sidelines: are you brave enough to change the system from the inside? Or is your "culture" just a code for maintaining the status quo?
The future is far more radical than an office dog. It’s time we put our money where our "purpose" is.
Alison Michalk, Founder & Advisor, Quiip