Chipotle and Walmart have been among the movers in the universe of big US corporations when it comes to raising pay and offering debt-free college tuition assistance to large, low-wage workforces. Now, they’re sharing another tactic the companies say will have a long-term payoff for employees: publicly traded stock splits.
Though a stock split can make shares more affordable, there are other factors at play, including how heavily a company promotes its employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), availability and employee usage of employer-sponsored financial education, and competing financial interests among lower-level employees, many of whom may be struggling to make ends meet.
Both companies say the split is being combined with other efforts to encourage employee stock ownership, including access to discounted stock through an ESPP and financial education offerings.
Companies will create more buy-in among employees if they have the education around what company stock programs mean for them and the ability to do things like balance their budget, said Aalap Shah, managing director at compensation and leadership consultancy Pearl Meyer. “How can I buy equities if I don’t know if I can afford it?” he said.