Three years ago, in 2021, Hollis made a bold and exciting transition – we became an employee-owned trust (EOT). This wasn’t just a business decision; it was a demonstration of our belief that the people who have helped shape Hollis deserve to share its success.

By transitioning to an EOT, we’ve created a structure where the business is held and managed on behalf of all our employees, giving everyone a voice and stake in our future growth and opportunities.

Why we moved to an EOT

At Hollis, we’ve always valued our independence, unique culture, and deep commitment to our people and clients. Becoming an EOT allowed us to protect these values while giving our employees the chance to directly benefit from our shared success. This move has helped us evolve as one team, ensured smooth succession planning, and positioned us to meet our ambitious growth goals.

In the long term we all share the rewards of our hard work. This inclusive structure strengthens the foundations of our business, empowers our people, and secures our independence—ensuring we continue to thrive without the uncertainties that can come with outside ownership.

The benefits

We’ve seen the positive impact firsthand. Some of the key benefits of our EOT structure include:

• EOT bonus: Employees equally share directly in the company’s financial success, tax free.
• Growth and security: The long-term ownership structure helps preserve jobs and provides security for our future.
• Voice of employees: Staff can influence how well we do, and how well they do personally.
• Innovation and creativity: Our team feels more empowered to contribute new innovative ideas, fostering a culture of creativity and continuous improvement.
• Job satisfaction and wellbeing: Shared ownership leads to a deeper sense of fulfilment, improving job satisfaction, and encouraging a collaborative culture where people feel valued and invested.
• Social value: We’re seen as more ethical and socially responsible, which strengthens our relationships with staff, potential employees, clients, and our communities.

Securing our future

Three years down the line, we’re already seeing the positive impact of becoming an EOT—and we expect that this will only grow. Our employees all share in tax free bonuses regularly as the business meets its targets, we have transitioned smoothly to a new leadership structure to support our growth and ultimately secure our future focussed on wellbeing and the hard work of our people. Plus, to top it all off, our engagement scores are climbing as employees enjoy working together as One Team.

As we celebrate this milestone, Melanie Olrik, our Chief People Officer, reflects on our journey:

“Moving to an EOT has been a defining moment for Hollis and demonstrates the value we place on culture, autonomy, and shared success. It has deepened our connection as a team and reinforced that when Hollis thrives, we all thrive together as One Team.

We trust each other to do our personal best for the business and for ourselves. Working together like this is incredibly powerful and makes for a very positive place to work. I am very excited about what the future holds for Hollis and our people.”