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Season the beef. Pat the beef dry, then season with salt and pepper. If you are searing, toss the beef with the flour in a bowl for a light coating. It helps browning and gives the stew a tiny head start on thickness.
Sear (optional, but worth it). Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add oil. Sear the beef in batches until browned on 2 to 3 sides, about 6 to 8 minutes total per batch. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Build the base. Add onion, garlic, tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire, soy sauce, Dijon, thyme, and the bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir well, scraping any browned bits from the skillet into the cooker if you seared.
Add the vegetables. Nestle in carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms. Give everything a gentle stir so the veggies are mostly submerged.
Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (best) or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
Thicken the gravy. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with cold water until smooth. Stir it into the slow cooker, then cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered if you can, until the stew thickens.
Taste and finish. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or a splash of Worcestershire if you want it deeper. Top with parsley and serve hot with bread, rice, or mashed potatoes.