Flexibility and Collaboration Key for Bridge Partners Employees

Sponsored by Bridge Partners

This article is part of a series focusing on select companies who placed among WA’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2017, as determined by employee surveys that measure their perceptions and satisfaction across 61 individual attributes within 10 employment categories.

In celebration of the companys 10th anniversary this year, Bridge Partners CEO Richard Albrecht penned the article, 10 Things Ive Learned in 10 Years as CEO. Number one on the list? Its about the people.

We dont do cookie cutter, and we recognize that our customers are people, too. Putting people first has been our recipe for success, writes Albrecht. Ive learned to recognize that everyone has the potential to be a star, and Ive learned to align those stars to drive results for clients and for our business.

That commitment to people is keenly felt by new hires, as one Bridge Partners employee explained in the recent survey that landed them a top ten spot on the list of Seattle Business magazines 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2017: From the first day, you believe you are wanted and needed in the company; they believe your success is their success. This is the third time Bridge Partners has appeared on the annual list.

A Big Tent

Bridge Partners employees note that the company has created a culture that acknowledges, respects and appreciates the uniqueness of each consultant, displaying a true spirit of collaboration and authenticity. Everyone is given the opportunity to succeed.

We have a big tent where anyone and everyone can shine, writes one team member.

The firm, says a survey respondent, is a place that highly values diversity in all dimensions of the word: diversity of thoughts, of experiences, of working styles, and individuality regardless of race, gender, or other physical attributes. It allows people to flourish and do their best work, and I think it motivates people and drives our shared culture. It truly is a special place to work.

Another employee, with decades of experience in the finance and tech industries, says Bridge Partners is the best run company with which I’ve worked. They have high integrity and transparency. They take a human approach to their employee engagement and business practices. This pays off as they are smart, professional and hard-working leaders. And, this rolls through the firm as their teams engage with clients every day. I am proud to work for and represent them.

The integrity of the firms leaders was echoed by another colleague, I love the fact that I get to work with people of high integrity who bring their authentic selves to work every day. People make Bridge Partners the magical place it is! We get to create new ways to solve real-world problems through collaboration with our colleagues and our clients.”

It All Adds Up

Creating an inclusive and supportive culture within the workplace translates to more powerful and successful client relationships, says one Bridge Partners team member. It’s important to the Bridge Partners leadership team that people enjoy their jobs. They cultivate meaningful relationships with their clients so that employees can not only provide an excellent service to the client, but also have fun while doing so.

This connection directly correlates to employees having a vested interest in making a high impact on their clients’ businesses. Employees work closely with their clients and each other to deliver results with better value.

Bridge Partners leadership encourages their consultants to work across teams, further enhancing the client experience.

Asked to list the reasons Bridge Partners is a tremendous place to work, one team member summarized, Positive work environment with like-minded people working to solve customer problems together. One plus one equals three. Another adds, It’s awesome to be surrounded by professionals with such a high level of subject-matter expertise who operate in such an unsiloed, collaborative way. Our differences really do make us stronger.

Everyday Dress Code: From Suits to PJs

Survey respondents pointed again and again to the respect they receive from the firms leadership, which is reflected in the independent work styles they encourage.

Bridge Partners lives out their core values, says one employee. They treat people with respect and value. They respect an individual’s passions and hobbies outside of the office. They offer a competitive compensation and benefits package. They also offer flexible work schedules, which is my favorite part.

Another appreciates that the company enables every employee to make the most of every opportunity given. They do this by empowering their expertise, giving them the freedom to work from home or the office, and they build a solid foundation for success from day one.

The ability to work from where you are is something Bridge Partners colleagues value. One happily notes, I get to go to work in my pajamas! I work from home. Boasts another, My office is wherever I happen to be from day to day: At home, at the coffee shop, on site with my client, on the beach in Hawaii (yes, really), I am free to flex my work around my life.

But the employee notes that the flexible, independent work styles dont preclude collaboration.

Unlike other firms I’ve worked for, at Bridge the freedom of being able to work from anywhere doesn’t come at the expense of being connected to my colleagues across the company. Bridge nails the right mix of independence and support: I am afforded a high degree of autonomy, but the company and my manager are always there to help. The company goes out of its way to sponsor fun events and useful professional development opportunities that keep the sense of community strong.

In the end, the trust Bridge Partners gives its team members allows employees to be their unique selves, says one consultant. Bridge Partners is packed with sincere and authentic people. They are cut from different cloth, none trying to pretend to be other than who they are. They bring that to every interaction; it makes the company and the work feel legitimate, ethical and real.

Ultimately, the company’s positive, people-first culture is reflected in the results the Bridge Partners employees deliver to their clients.

Learn more about careers at Bridge Partners.

Find out more about WA’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2017.