Signs It's Time to Switch Your Employee Share Plan

Table of Contents 

1. Poor user experience for employees 
2. Your internal teams are frustrated and burnt out by the time they're spending on plan management 
3. Your share plan and registry data are fragmented 
4. Switching to Automic - A genuine step up for employee share plan management

Here are the top red flags! 

Red flag #1: Poor user experience for employees 

Your employees are the end users of your share plan platform. If their experience is frustrating or confusing, engagement will plummet, and the very purpose of the plan - to reward and motivate - is undermined. 

Signs it might be time to switch: 

• Difficult to navigate: A non-intuitive interface discourages participation. 

• Confusing processes: Employees struggle to access key information. 

• Limited accessibility: Users can’t check their shareholding details when they need them. 

• Employees bypass the platform: Instead of using the system, they reach out to internal teams with basic questions, increasing the administrative burden. 

• Poor self-service capabilities: Employees fail to update critical personal details (e.g., tax and banking information), leading to issues like unpaid dividends. 

If employees avoid using the platform because it’s clunky and unintuitive, what does that say about its effectiveness? 

Red flag #2: Your internal teams are frustrated and burnt out by the time they're spending on plan management 

Once a plan is up and running—meaning you've rolled out an offer and allocated awards to participants—the rest of the equity plan lifecycle should be straightforward to manage. Vesting schedules should be automated, your platform provider should be monitoring upcoming vesting dates to prepare communications for employees (or better yet, the system should automatically notify employees), and employees should easily be able to sell vested shares or transfer them to their personal brokerage accounts. 

A major frustration for internal teams is bringing data sets from multiple systems together for key reporting requirements, such as half-year or full-year financial reporting, or tracking executives and key management personnel holdings for remuneration reports as part of your annual report if you’re an ASX-listed entity. If your platform is not seamlessly managing these reporting requirements, it’s adding unnecessary complexity and risk. 

Ask yourself this: Does it take longer than a day or two to reconcile ESP transactions and ordinary share movements like sales and transfers for KMPs and related parties? If so, your systems are not optimal. 
 
Signs it might be time to switch: 

• Manual processes everywhere: Tedious, error-prone tasks slow everything down. 

• Lack of automation: Time-intensive work that could be streamlined is instead a major drain. 

• Poor support: Slow response times and inadequate assistance leave your team stranded. 

• Complicated troubleshooting: Fixing system issues eats up valuable time and resources. 

• Inefficient reporting workflows: Struggling to consolidate data for key reports, including executive remuneration disclosures. 

• Delayed reporting access: Inability to access reports immediately after transactions are processed due to outdated systems sending data to a reporting warehouse only once a day. 

If your current provider is making your job harder, they’re part of the problem, not the solution. 

Red flag #3: Your share plan and registry data are fragmented 

You may be using two different providers to manage your share register and your employee equity awards, or you may be using a single provider for both services, but they operate on separate systems. Either way, this creates a disjointed experience for employees and administrative teams alike. 

For employees, fragmented systems can make it difficult to seamlessly transition from plan participant to shareholder. They may struggle with delays or unnecessary complexity when trying to sell vested shares or transfer them to their personal brokerage accounts. 

For administrative teams, maintaining two separate systems means duplicated data entry, reconciliation headaches, and increased risk of compliance errors. Ideally, companies should look for a provider that can manage both the share registry and employee share plans on a single platform. 

Signs it might be time to switch: 

• ESP data spread across multiple systems: Disconnected platforms create inefficiencies. 

• Duplicate data entry: Manually updating multiple systems increases the risk of errors. 

• Reconciliation issues: Misaligned records create costly reporting mistakes. 

• Wasted admin time: More time spent troubleshooting than focusing on strategy. 

• Employee frustration: A disjointed process when transitioning from equity plan participant to shareholder. 

A fragmented approach to share plan management is unsustainable. A modern, integrated platform eliminates these inefficiencies, ensuring data accuracy and seamless workflows. 

Switching to Automic - A genuine step up for employee share plan management 

Automic is the only provider offering a truly unified platform for both employee share plan management and share registry administration. Our integrated approach removes inefficiencies, ensures data accuracy, and provides seamless workflows—all in a single system. Here’s why Automic stands out: 

Exceptional employee experience 

We prioritise ease of use with a purpose-built interface that: 

• Simplifies key employee actions, such as offer enrolment and share tracking. 

• Drives higher engagement through intuitive, educational dashboard designs. 

• Allows employees to access the portal anywhere, anytime, with fully mobile-responsive website features. 

Intelligent administration tools 

Our advanced tools empower your team with: 

• Automated workflows that minimise errors and increase efficiency. 

• Smart reporting features that provide actionable insights instantly—no delays. 

• Self-service options enable employees to access information independently. 

• Expert local support to address your unique needs promptly. 

A single platform for registry and employee share plan management 

Unlike outdated providers relying on disconnected systems, Automic delivers a unified solution that: 

• Eliminates double handling, reducing administrative workload. 

• Provides real-time data access, so you’re never waiting for reports. 

• Enhances compliance and reporting, ensuring accuracy for executive remuneration and ASX disclosures. 

• Streamlines employee transitions, making it easy for participants to become shareholders. 

When you partner with Automic, you’re not just investing in a solution – you’re investing in a company strategically dedicated to enhancing the value of your employee equity. Whether it’s ensuring compliance, boosting engagement, or streamlining administration, we provide the expertise and tools to make your share plans a success. 

Ready to elevate your employee share plan? 
Discover how Automic can simplify and enhance your share plan management. Contact us today to learn more.