A game-changer for a police force on the move
Problem
Inspiring a disparate, demotivated police force to embrace a new vision
Action
Authenticity – dropping the directives and getting people talking and storytelling
Impact
People jumped on board with a new direction that is shaping the Force’s future
PROBLEM
Overview
With new leadership came a new approach to engagement. It had to be aspirational and authentic. And it had to inspire people to think differently and jump on board with the new direction.
Engaging 5,200 people requires creative thinking. British Transport Police is the only force to cover the breadth of England, Scotland and Wales. And as well as the desk-based employees, there are 3,000 on the ‘frontline’ supporting the public across the rail network, in settings ranging from large underground tube stations to tiny, rural stations. It makes transformational change tough.
Each day officers and support staff work tirelessly to keep people safe on the nation’s railway. Yet painfully limited technology meant it was easy to feel disconnected – geographically and emotionally.
So to win trust and inspire the force, our programme would need to tackle three practical challenges:
Technology
Our officers had unreliable tech, with sporadic access to wifi, laptops or tablets.
Geography
Teams were widely spread, so communications had to transcend geographical barriers.
Information overload
Large workloads and poor technology meant it would be difficult for us to cut through the noise.
ACTION
Making it happen
The name for the programme – A Force on the move – positioned change as progressive, positive and energetic. It was fast, too. We had just 8 weeks from rough draft of the strategy to launch.
We would build our transformational change programme on the understanding that the force’s people come to work knowing what they’re doing. We were going to help them understand how that fits into the bigger picture, with a strategy they shaped, making it relevant to them.
01
Put participation and dialogue at the heart of the programme
Nothing would be finalised without giving everyone a say in the force’s new strategy and values – and leaders would demonstrate to teams how they’d put forward their views.
02
Show we’d listened to people’s views about change
PCs consistently commented that leaders must ‘be more aware of the communities we serve’. This meant we would embrace input from those on the ground who know their communities best.
03
Gather local feedback on the force’s draft strategy
People said they’d feel valued if they were listened to more. So we ensured they put the force’s new values to the test and had the final say on which to keep and which to kick out.
A NEW APPROACH
A dramatic change of direction
For the first time, the force would be initiating change through dialogue rather than broadcast command. The conversation would start on the frontline and flow upwards towards the leadership.
This was unheard of in a force that historically relied on top-down, directive communications. But the leadership was ready to try something new, and the science backed our approach: people respond far better to change if it’s done with them instead of ‘to’ them.
To build trust and credibility, we supported managers in sharing the draft strategy at a local level – because it’s personal, direct and an endorsement from a familiar face. And the insights they fed back would inform the next stage of refinement to the strategy. Conferences, video briefings, games and other interactive tools would help people understand the strategy and its purpose.
The geographical spread of the force’s people meant some teams were over 100 miles from their supervisor. So to make sure everyone benefited from the same immersive and interactive experience, we designed materials and activities that were as just as effective when delivered in a digital format and via Microsoft Teams as they would be face-to-face.
THE CREATIVE CONCEPT
Inclusive, representative and strong
The creative concept for A Force on the move had to be authentic enough to resonate yet ambitious enough to move people forward.
That’s why every detail of the creative was carefully crafted to represent the people already in the ranks of British Transport Police, as well as those the force wanted to attract.
We illustrated the big, bright and bustling parts of the force’s network (e.g. the London Underground) as well as those that are little more than a track running through a rural station. From the way we defined the landscape right down to the tiny details of coffee cups in the background, every single element of the design was carefully considered. It was inclusive, representative and strong. Just like the force’s ambitious plan.
IMPACT
The outcome
285
group conversation sessions took place across the entire force, either virtually or in person
1,000+
people viewed our A Force on the move animation – previous videos had typically drawn fewer than 100
5,200
people had the opportunity to play a part in bringing the Vision to life by sharing opinions and insights
In my 30 years in policing, I have never seen culture shift so monumentally through change communications as I have in the past year with A Force on the move. It was progressive yet felt true to who we are. Everyone feels part of our journey, which is precisely what we need to keep passengers safe from criminality on Britain’s railways.
The Chief Constable and Chief Officers Group told us A Force on the move was ‘visionary’, a ‘breath of fresh air’ and ‘set an entirely new tone for communications – not just within British Transport Police but in Policing’.
Our campaign visuals have been in high demand, with weekly requests for collateral. And people frequently volunteer to work on A Force on the move projects. This tells us the Vision is not a one-off discussion but an ongoing transformation that continues to shape the future of the force.
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