Tilburg corporate branding
Services by BR-ND People: Strategy (purpose, vision, mission, positioning); Culture (values, behavior)
Challenge
In a period of growing social complexity and changing expectations of residents and employees, the Municipality of Tilburg felt it was time to re-examine its identity and core values. What do we stand for as an organization, and how do we ensure that our colleagues not only question and discover this, but also feel it? Not only because a lot is coming down on municipal organizations and there is less and less guidance and more support, but also because it helps to streamline all kinds of ongoing and planned initiatives. The goal was to develop a clear and supported organizational story - and to ensure that this was not the story of the management, but of everyone in the organization.
Approach
First of all: listening
Before anything was put on paper, we listened widely. Through round table discussions and an Insider survey, all colleagues - from garbage man and policy strategist to gym teacher, front desk staff, ICT person and communications consultant - were invited to share their experiences, feelings and ambitions. What makes them proud? Where is the energy? And where do they see room for improvement? The responses provided a rich picture of how employees see the organization, what they find important, and which direction they want to take.
Building the story together
With that input, it was time to build together. In co-creation sessions with a sounding board group, the building blocks of the story were determined. By talking to different colleagues - from all corners of the organization - a story truly came from within. Open, recognizable and shared. And building on the strength that was already there.
The story takes shape
The result of those conversations and sessions became a story with a powerful opening line: “Here, I breathe freely.” It shows what the municipality stands for: a place where you feel welcome, feel the room and work together with others on newness. The core values of hospitality, innovation, connection, decisiveness and reliability form the basis. Partly existing, partly new. And stimulating for all departments and teams.
From paper to practice
A good story inspires - but only if it is actually used. That is why we focused on activation. A toolkit is available for all teams to enter into dialogue - with the story as the foundation - about the desired future of the organization. A future that is naturally intertwined with that of the city of Tilburg and its villages. After all, that is what the municipal organization is there for.
Result
The story is on paper. It has been filmed, incorporated into a toolkit for teams and translated into labor market communications. It serves as a compass for daily behavior and larger initiatives. Employees recognize themselves in the values and ambitions that have been written down. It gives them a foothold in their work and in their cooperation with each other. And perhaps best of all: the organization's story is never quite finished. It grows along with the people who work there and the goals they pursue to make Tilburg and its villages continue to flourish. Exactly as it should be with a municipal organization that stands in the middle of society.
