A favourite instrument for start-ups and companies about to list - Employee Share Schemes are used far more widely than most people think. It's a way to remunerate your employees outside of the usual cash salary - and in an environment where competition for talent is hot, it can be a clever way to attract, engage and keep your people. From the outside looking in, they are complex to set up but get the mix right and it can be a tax effective way to incentivise your teams and propel your business forward.