CPA and advisory firm BKD has a tried-and-true best practice program named “Camp BKD.” After three days of local office orientation, all new hires travel to a central location for five and a half days of intensive technical and non-technical training. Three of their five evenings, campers participate in group activities designed to encourage networking and reinforce unmatched client service standards. They are given the chance to network with their peers throughout the week, gain access to top leaders in the firm (including the CEO, COO, and various partners who facilitate learning), and attend different events throughout the week.
Program Details
Camp BKD is an extensive onboarding program held three times each year for new hires who generally are joining the firm right out of college. Camp BKD brings new employees’ expectations in line with the firm’s expectations. The goal of this training is to help employees become productive quickly, to ensure greater job satisfaction throughout their tenure, and to equip them for their first day on the job.
Camp BKD acclimates new employees to the firm culture and focuses on the basic skill sets staff need to master to be successful on audits and tax preparation in the first 30 days on the job. It explains the basics of what new auditors and tax practitioners are expected to know and do, including the nature, timing, and extent of common audit and tax procedures using the BKD audit or tax approach.
Camp BKD focuses on why certain procedures are performed, as well as how to perform typical procedures expected of new staff. Camp BKD is key in establishing the groundwork for the expectation that all staff should critically analyze and understand the underlying purpose of procedures, as well as how to effectively and efficiently complete assigned tasks.
The final Camp activity involves a community service project before campers return to their local office. By participating in this project, campers are exposed to BKD’s dedication to enriching local communities with financial support and the commitment of time to help where needed.
Results
After Camp BKD, newly hired BKD personnel are able to:
- Interpret and apply firm policies and procedures
- Demonstrate, explain, and integrate principles of The BKD Experience: Unmatched Client Service and PRIDE
- Illustrate competence in firm software platforms specific to their role
- Practice skills necessary to complete assigned tasks specific to their specialty (tax or audit)
Camp BKD serves as the first step in employees’ lifelong learning as the first of a six-part series. These learning opportunities are designed to build on one another progressively through their first seven years at BKD. Post-camp evaluations indicated 98.5 percent of attendees found the training useful and felt prepared to perform their job duties.
