New Opinion Poll Shows Broad Support for Employee Ownership

But the poll also found that few people know much about the idea

A new poll from Expanding ESOPs shows that a large majority of Americans support the idea of employee ownership, while very few oppose it. Support is slightly higher among Democrats than Republicans. Working with the Bipartisan Policy Coalition (BPC), Expanding ESOPs hired polling firms (Public Opinion Strategies and Impact Research) to poll 1,000 registered voters. 

Some 81% of respondents said that they have heard very little or nothing about employee ownership, and only 3% said they had heard a lot. When the concept was described, 91% said they support the idea, including 84% of base GOP supporters, 89% of those who lean to the GOP, 96% of base Democrats, 95% of those who lean to the Democrats, and 86% of independents.

When asked if they would be more likely to support elected officials who support expanding the use of broad-based employee ownership, 68% said they would be more likely, 20% said it would not matter, and 12% said it would make them less likely. Four-fifths of respondents said the government should incentivize companies to offer broad-based employee ownership, including 90% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans.

The results are similar to those of a poll conducted for the Employee-Owned S Corporations of America in 2016.