Speaking yesterday at the Employee Ownership Conference in London, Swinson said many HR departments will be looking to help each other out and offer advice when making the transition.
"The HR department within a company will support and get advice from people who have already been through it.
"Even though they're in direct competition there is a lot of good will and willingness to help other businesses [make the transition] to this kind of business model.
"Ultimately we want to get Employee Ownership into the mainstream and HR is key to helping do that."
Also speaking at the event business secretary Vince Cable announced a consultation on two new tax reliefs to encourage employee-owned businesses to employee ownership.
The announcement of the tax reliefs follows the Nuttall Report last year, which highlighted the potential for employee-owned businesses such to help drive economic recovery.
The two tax reliefs announced were:
- Capital gains tax relief for entrepreneurs transferring their business into an employee-owned model.
- Income tax relief for employees and national insurance savings for employers making bonus payments to employees.
Law firm Linklaters employee incentive consultant Graham Rowlands-Hempel said the proposals show the Government is committed to encouraging employee ownership.
"With the costs of the reliefs limited by having to fall within the £50 million a year earmarked for boosting employee ownership, the tax benefits for employees will be limited"
The tax reliefs consultation will run until 26 September 2013.
