Award win for employee owned market research company

Employee owned market research company, DJS Research, is celebrating an award win at the 2022 Employee Ownership Association (EOA) Annual Conference. The win comes just a year after the agency became employee owned.

DJS Research scooped the EO Stories 2022 ‘Delivering Good Engagement’ award at a celebration dinner at the ACC in Liverpool following a public vote.

The agency restructured to employee ownership in July 2021 to mark its 20^th birthday and places it among the growing number of businesses in Stockport who have adopted the model, including manufacturer One+All and retail group, Parfetts. Employee ownership places the company in the hands of its most valuable assets, its employees, who become majority shareholders.

The agency’s winning award entry showcased how since becoming employee owned its engagement activity has delivered opportunities across the business. It highlighted how communication across the company has built understanding, and how the role of Employee Voice, its EO council, is helping set out its vision and inform its strategic planning, with an effective two-way engagement process making partners feel comfortable sharing ideas.

Chairman and founder Danny Sims said:

“We are extremely proud and delighted to have won the employee engagement award from the EOA.

“Engaging staff in the employee ownership journey is a such a crucial part in building a successful employee-owned business. It’s over a year now since DJS Research transitioned from a family-owned company to become employee owned.

“Prior to and after our transition we have undertaken various activities, including asking all of our partners to co-create our strategic plan for the next five years, generally educating about employee ownership and starting to introduce staff to the financial side of running a business.

“Winning this award is confirmation that we have started off well and provides further motivation to continue engaging with our partners to help us embrace all of the benefits that employee ownership has to offer. Many thanks to the EOA and everyone who voted for us!”

James de le Vingne, Chief Executive of the EOA, said:

“I’d like to congratulate DJS Research on its award and for the exceptional insight it has provided into one of the key pillars of good employee ownership – good engagement – which help to unlock the potential of future employee owners and businesses.

“The growth of the employee-owned sector in size and impact during such turbulent social and economic times highlights its relevance as a model for the future for the benefit of employees, business and communities.

“The impact of the sector is greatly strengthened by the stories people are willing to share, which aids the learning and development of businesses looking to activate their employee ownership.”

DJS Research is one of a growing number of companies who have transitioned to employee ownership, with 285 businesses making the switch in 2021, a record year for growth in the sector.  According EOA there are currently 1030 EO businesses in the UK (June 2022), with 2021 being a record year for growth, with 285 new EO businesses recorded.