The Upward Mobility Found at the Best Places to Work
By Ryan Walsh
Another day, another dollar.
Or so the old maxim goes. For many, a job can be so much more than a paycheck. Through hard work, perseverance and a little luck, those jobs can become careers. To get to that point, however, upward mobility must be possible.
Simply put, upward mobility is the degree of opportunity present for an employee to apply for a promotion and/or a pay increase within their current company. Both large and small companies offer unique advantages for upward mobility, and it is an important deciding factor for job candidates.
Mobility is not always a straight upward path. Allowing employees to move laterally across departments, organizations can open doors that otherwise would not be available. In many cases, lateral movements also provide opportunities for employees to master several skills and become more valuable to the organization.
A high degree of upward mobility is an excellent way for companies to retain employees and foster a sense of loyalty and commitment. It proves to job candidates that a company is devoted to professional development and growth and signals that stellar work will not go unrecognized.
This is not always easy – achieving this level of career mobility can be difficult. In fact, a 2019 study from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that ‘steppingstone jobs’ – ones that pay a middle wage and are a necessary step for career advancement – will be about three quarters of a million short of where they need to be by 2029. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have also exacerbated this trend.
Thankfully, many companies have been able to prevail despite this outlook. Enter TradePMR.
This brokerage and custodial services provider works hard to ensure its employees have the opportunity to better themselves and advance their careers. The Best Places to Work designee offers a slew of professional development and licensing courses to employees for free. On top of that, the Gainesville-based company is growing, providing more jobs and thus, more space for internal advancement. According to LinkedIn, the company has seen a roughly 15% growth in total headcount over the first six months of 2024.
Upward mobility is one quality indicative of a workplace that cares for their employees’ overall wellbeing. At TradePMR, monthly team-building activities like cooking classes, escape rooms and even a scallop-harvesting adventure help strengthen bonds and create opportunities for internal networking.
Despite the company’s size, TradePMR’s employee-centric policies keep their nearly 100 team members loyal and dedicated. According to LinkedIn, its median tenure is nearly two and a half years, and several members of its leadership team have been with the company for more than fifteen years.
At the end of the day, change is a good thing. Moving up with a company and climbing the career ladder is not only a great way to increase earning power, but also to pick up skills, learn more about the industry and fulfill a sense of accomplishment.
