We’re All In
How we helped a London borough bring heart, soul and pride back into council careers.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) is one of the most recognised names in the UK. But recognition isn’t the same as attraction, and when it came to getting brilliant new people through the door, they needed more than a name.
They needed a brand. A story. A reason to believe.
One that said: “If you want to do work that truly matters, here’s your chance.”
Lightbulb moment
Council careers come with plenty of old baggage: slow-moving, traditional, box-ticking. And at RBKC, the shadow of the Grenfell tragedy brought even greater need for change, compassion and commitment.
RBKC couldn’t afford to be seen as ‘business as usual’. Not when they were leading difficult conversations, rebuilding trust, and putting communities first every day.
We needed an employer brand that didn’t just talk about work – it had to show the heart behind it.
What we did
We started by listening. Properly listening.
Through focus groups, surveys and one-to-one interviews across the council, we uncovered raw, honest reflections from every level of the organisation. These weren’t just research exercises – they were spaces where people felt heard, often for the first time in a long time.
From this, we built a strategy shaped by employee voices. Clear values emerged – they became the foundation of the new EVP.
We turned those values into something people could see and use every day. Toolkits. Playbooks. A refreshed careers site. Video storytelling that put real employees front and centre. Social campaigns that showed the borough’s pride and resilience. Leadership backing that proved this wasn’t lip service.
No jargon. No empty slogans. Just a brand rooted in truth – one that staff could believe in and candidates could feel from the outside looking in.
Did it work?
It absolutely did.
The internal launch sparked genuine pride and energy across RBKC, bringing teams together with a shared sense of purpose. Externally, engagement rates across the careers site and social media soared – proof that honesty, integrity and openness don’t just inspire employees. They attract them.
By facing the past with compassion and the future with hope, RBKC showed what a modern, meaningful council career really looks like.
Final thought
When you lead with your heart – even through the hardest times – you build a place where the right people will be proud to say, "we’re all in."
