Employee participation in UK Sharesave schemes: a firm-level analysis

Abstract

Employee records and interviews are used to ascertain the reasons why employees do and do not participate in Sharesave schemes in three companies in the UK retail sector. A model is used to compare the reasons for participation and non-participation given in the literature to the findings of this research. This paper's interpretivist approach brings out the direct views of employees placing equal emphasis on non-participants' views as well as those of participants. The benefits of such schemes claimed by Government and employers are not found to influence participation. Employees saw such schemes as a simple way to save. Non-participation was predominantly due to the employee not expecting to remain with the company.

Keywords:

• employee interviews
• employee records
• employee share ownership
• non-participants' views
• participants' views
• Sharesave schemes

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the access and help provided by the three case study companies.