Research indicates that a staged sale of the business is likely to result in higher overall proceeds for you, the owner, as it allows you to participate in the future growth and success of the company (sometimes called a "second bite of the apple," though there can be more transactions than two), as well as provide more flexibility in terms of timing and tax planning.
Employee ownership can be a great solution for this, particularly with an EOT or ESOP sale, as those are typically in stages, where many worker co-ops are not.