A LOCAL campervan conversion company has welcomed a Member of the Scottish Parliament to its North Berwick workshop to learn about employee ownership.
East Lothian MSP, Paul McLennan, was given an insight into the succession model and the benefits it can have for businesses such as Jerba Campervans by co-founder, Simon Poole and his 14 strong team – who all share in the company profits.
Inspired by a presentation given by Simon in front of a panel of cross-party MSPs at Holyrood earlier this year, Paul was eager to learn more about the employee-owned firm and the way the business is run.
Following the visit, the East Lothian representative has shared plans to organise a Parliamentary Reception regarding the succession model with the view to introducing a Member’s Debate in Parliament to further the employee ownership agenda.
Paul McLennan MSP said: “I was so impressed by Simon’s presentation at Holyrood earlier this year that I wanted to visit the Jerba workshop to learn more about the team, and how employee ownership works for them.
“From my visit I could see everyone at Jerba is functioning as a cohesive and productive unit who have a real sense of pride in their work.
“It is obvious to me that, when implemented correctly, employee ownership can provide immense job satisfaction and growth opportunities for small firms and larger national firms alike.
“The idea of every employee having tangible investment in their company or firm is a model worth exploring, and I intend to bring my findings to Parliament to discuss with my peers.”
Employee ownership gives each employee a stake in the business and an active say in how it is run – bolstering continuity and reducing risks commonly associated with more traditional succession options such as selling to a competitor.
Jerba Campervans made the switch to the business model in 2018, and has enjoyed an increase year-on-year in productivity following the move.
All employees at Jerba Campervans benefit from a yearly profit share meaning each staff member receives the same amount, regardless of their position.
Simon said: “While we already possessed a dedicated and motivated staff base, the accountability generated from our move to employee ownership has definitely motivated everyone to push on and deliver even better service for our customers.
“It’s really positive to see figures in government taking a real interest in the way we do things. Since making the switch we’ve seen a host of huge benefits for staff, customers and the business generally and we’re happy to be playing our part in encouraging more firms to follow suit.
“We look forward to working with Paul to better share the message of employee ownership amongst Scottish businesses.”
Jerba Campervans specialise in converting Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 Models and is officially recognised by Volkswagen as a converter of the model. In 2015, Jerba Campervans gained a patent for their unique pop-up roof, which they add to all of their Volkswagen conversions.
Jerba’s employees are passionate about adventure and travel so they convert vehicles that they use regularly.
The conversion company continues to keep their customers and staff at the heart of their business.
To find out more about Jerba Campervans, visit: www.jerbacampervans.co.uk
