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2026 ESOP Recruitment and Retention Survey Report

Price

$1,000.00 $400.00

This report describes in detail the data collected in the NCEO’s 2026 ESOP Recruitment and Retention Survey. The online survey gathered data from a diverse group of 433 companies from March to April 2026. All respondents are privately held companies with an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). The survey focused on companies’ challenges and barriers in recruiting and retaining employees as an ESOP. It was designed as a baseline survey to cover a broad range of topics so that ESOP companies can see how others communicate about their ESOP and what they are finding effective and useful.

Data is presented across multiple demographic categories including selected industries, revenue, employee count, ESOP ownership percentage, age of ESOP, and median worker age groups.

Our thanks to our 433 respondents! All respondents have been emailed a copy of the report.

Survey Details

The report includes data on the following topics:

  • Descriptive demographic information about the respondents
  • Beliefs about Employee Ownership and the Workplace 
  • Communicating about the ESOP 
  • Recruitment 
  • Retention
  • Benefits
  • Turnover

This information is presented for both the overall survey sample and as breakouts for each of the following company characteristics:

  • Revenue
  • Number of employees
  • Percent ESOP ownership
  • Age of ESOP
  • Median worker age groups
  • Industry:
    • Construction
    • Manufacturing
    • Professional, scientific, and technical services
Recruitment and Retention survey report table of contents

You'll receive an email with a download link and can also download the file immediately from the order confirmation screen. You can access the file anytime from the Orders screen in your NCEO account.

Terms of Use

By purchasing the NCEO's 2026 ESOP Retention and Recruitment Survey report, you are agreeing to following terms of use:

  • Companies may share the report with anyone at the company, including outside board members and consultants, but may not circulate it outside the company.
  • Companies sharing the report with outside board members and consultants must specify that its use is limited to the company, and must acknowledge the NCEO as the source. 
  • ESOP service providers and other service providers or consultants may use this report to advise clients, as long as they acknowledge the NCEO as the source and make clear that it should not be circulated outside the client's company.