Programs and Practices

With flexibility and adaptability in mind, Tandem offers a set of integrated programs and practices—called Tandem Pathways—that any business can implement individually or in combination with one another.

Tandem Pathways

Designed to encourage owners and employees to invest and share in the success of the company, these Pathways motivate high performance and lasting legacies for businesses.

Employee Engagement

From company-wide open communication to encouraging collaboration from your entire team, Employee Engagement is a practice that emphasizes transparency and value.

Key Practices

  • Open Book Management: All employees receive information and education on company financials and key metrics

  • Collaboration: Employees are encouraged to work together to increase effectiveness and performance

  • Celebration: Companies prioritize celebrating milestones and performance with all employees

Best for: Companies wanting to foster a culture of transparency, empower employees to think and act like owners, and drive greater accountability and performance.

Practical Tip: You can introduce Open Book Management incrementally, sharing more information as you educate employees on business literacy.

Profit Sharing

Profit Sharing is a program where businesses allocate a designated percentage of business profits to be split among eligible employees, giving employees a direct stake in working towards increased company success.

Key Practices

  • Employee Eligibility: All employees who are employed for the entire six-month profit sharing period are included.

  • Process Transparency: A specified percentage of pre-tax profits goes into a pool which is allocated to individuals using a simple formula. Accruals are published monthly listed by individual. After each half year, the pool is distributed in cash or can be used to buy company stock.

Best for: Companies wanting to align team efforts with company goals and reward employees collectively for their contributions to business success.

Practical Tip: Pairing Profit Sharing with Employee Engagements helps energize both programs.

Direct Employee Ownership

With Direct Employee Ownership, any business, no matter how small, can give employees the opportunity to buy and receive company stock.

Key Practices

  • Employee Investment: Utilizes a stock purchase plan where employees have two purchase opportunities per year with low minimum purchases—deducted from payroll or bought with cash, profit sharing, and bonuses to make it easily accessible to all. 

  • Company Investment: Utilizes stock grants, stock bonus, or stock options to reward performance or as an incentive to purchase stock, similar to a 401(k) match.

Best for: Companies wanting to ensure long-term business continuity, strengthen employee retention, and foster a sense of shared purpose and motivation—by creating a culture where owners and employees directly benefit from the company’s success.

Practical Tip: Employe Engagement is essential and Profit Sharing is helpful for Direct Employee Ownership to reach its potential.

Take a Closer Look

Take a more detailed look at our programs and practices for sharing success in the ways that motivate high performance. View PDF

Explore with Tandem

As a nonprofit, Tandem is designed to help you discover employee engagement, profit sharing, and employee ownership options. The team at Tandem walks alongside you to evaluate your needs, outline a potential path forward, and make the transition smooth. Ready to explore your options?