The Opportunity for Growth element of the Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health and Well-Being is dependent on fulfilling the needs of learning and accomplishment. In this Framework, “learning is the process of acquiring new knowledge and skills in the workplace” and accomplishment provides a “sense of competence that reduces stress, anxiety, and self-doubt.”1
Learning and accomplishment are well-supported when employers offer appropriate training, share well-timed and relevant feedback, and identify “clear, equitable pathways for career advancement.”1 Bookminders understands that, through proper training, staff are assured that leadership cares about their success and is willing to make the investment to support it. In an anonymous, third-party survey, our employee feedback placed Bookminders in the top 1% of Accounting/Bookkeeping firms for both providing formal training and for “enabling employees to work at their full potential.”2
Eliciting feedback is crucial for both employee and company growth. Through risk-free opportunities to share mutual feedback, employees are able to capitalize on their strengths and mitigate weaknesses, while employers receive insight into the perceived effectiveness of tools and resources. Bookminders provides multiple avenues for individual and group feedback internally and through an external, third-party managed platform. In our bi-annual internal staff survey, 100% of employees report they receive timely and useful feedback from their manager, are provided with the resources to easily get answers to questions, and feel their manager is understanding of mistakes and helps to course correct.3
The last strategy to support the Opportunity for Growth element is the provision of fair and accessible advancement opportunities. Remote work can expand these prospects among individuals for whom the traditional, full-time in-office structure is not ideal.
Bookminders was founded with a remote-first mentality in 1991, well before work-from-home was recognized as a business norm. Our platform, resources, and tools have been structured to enable employees to capitalize on advancement opportunities offered within their client portfolio, through special teams and projects, and through the ascension to senior and management roles. In fact, 100% of our employees feel they are provided with opportunities to grow their client portfolio, if they so choose.3 Staff feedback has placed Bookminders in the top 1% of Accounting/Bookkeeping firms for both “supporting professional development” and “employee motivation to give their best.” 2
Discover how Melanie, Vanessa and Karen have each leveraged their Opportunities for Growth with Bookminders. In our next Wellness installment, we’ll explore Connection and Community.
Sources:
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2023). Workplace Mental Health & Well-being: Current Priorities of the U.S. Surgeon General. Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being – Current Priorities of the U.S. Surgeon General. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/workplace-well-being/index.html
- Bookminders Culture Badges and Statistics Awarded by Energage Top Workplaces Survey. https://bookminders.com/top-workplaces-awards/ (2022)
- Bookminders Bi-Annual Employee Survey Results (2021)