Episode Details

How do you transition from being "the boss" to being part of an employee-owned collective? In this episode of PR in the Real World, we explore the rise of Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) with Caroline Noblett, Managing Director of Blackburn-based Granby Marketing.

In January 2024, Viva PR made the monumental shift to becoming employee-owned, a move that requires a radical rethink of internal and external communications. To understand the "dos and don'ts," Tony Garner sits down with Caroline Noblett and the leadership team from Granby Marketing, who have been navigating their own EOT journey since 2022. Caroline shares her transition from Head of Finance to Managing Director and explains why her title was intentionally changed to "Director of People and Finance" to reflect a culture that prioritises staff over spreadsheets.

The conversation covers the strategic "why" behind EOTs, from preserving a founder’s legacy to protecting local jobs. Caroline breaks down the practicalities of communication in a logistics environment where 80% of staff don't have email, using digital signage and employee forums to bridge the gap. We also discuss the "Succession Planning" roadmap, the myth of "magical moments" on signing day, and why the secret to a successful trust is building a collaborative culture long before the papers are signed.

From a PR and communications perspective, this episode covers:

• The EOT Communication Strategy: Keeping colleagues, suppliers, and customers updated throughout a complex financial transaction.
• Internal Comms in Warehousing: Reaching a "deskless" workforce using digital signage, training for line managers, and quarterly forums.
• Preserving Brand Legacy: Why EOTs are a powerful alternative to "speed dating" with large competitors who might absorb and erase an SME's identity.
• Managing Expectations: Explaining deferred consideration and "Freedom Day" to staff who may be confused about profit shares and day-to-day decision-making.
• Succession Planning PR: Managing the transition from a long-term founder (Jo) to a new MD (Caroline) without unnerving clients.
• The "People over Profit" Metric: Aligning staff to a common goal to improve service quality for clients.

Caroline discusses the "unsexy but essential" world of third-party logistics, including Granby’s role in supporting the 2021 Office for National Statistics Census. We also touch on the importance of "Psychological Safety" in the workplace and why employee-owned businesses are uniquely supportive of one another, regardless of their industry sector.

This episode is relevant for professionals working in:

• Agency Owners & Founders: Considering an exit strategy that protects their team and legacy.
• HR & Internal Comms Managers: Navigating major structural changes and seeking ways to reach non-digital employees.
• Succession Planners: Interested in how to transition leadership roles within an EOT framework.
• Accountants & Financial Advisors: Looking for the "human side" of employee ownership transactions.

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