From sunshine to safeguarding: how everyday updates help build a resilient organisation

Every organisation has its rhythms. Ours hums along in sunshine and sea breeze, in safeguarding flowcharts and pay-day drinks, in newsletters that somehow hold space for the personal and the practical.

Reading our latest staff newsletter, I was struck again by how much of our shared culture lives not just in big moments or bold strategies, but in the stories we tell, the ways we check in, and the small nudges we offer each other to take part, take care and take pride.

It reminded me that resilience doesn’t come from always having the answers — it comes from staying connected through change.

🌞 Holding space for humanity

Catherine’s warm reflection on green spaces and sea swims is more than a seasonal opener. It’s a subtle signal that leaders can show up as human. That it’s okay to talk about what we’re doing outside of work too. That leadership can be personal, visible and kind.

When we embed empathy into our everyday communications, it’s not just softer — it’s smarter. It builds trust. It makes change feel less like something being done to us and more like something we’re part of.

GOV.UK’s content design guidance emphasises inclusive, human language that’s clear and empathetic. This isn’t just about accessibility — it’s about belonging.

🫱🏽‍🫲🏼 Making participation natural, not performative

From “Delving into Devolution” to the Kitchen Table programme at Colonnade House, we’re seeing momentum behind inclusive, local ways to shape change. These aren’t just events. They’re invitations.

The best part? No one needs a special badge or a perfectly crafted opinion to join in. As Catherine put it, “those who attend are the exact people who are meant to be there.”

We’re learning from others across the UK and Europe doing just that:

• Every One Every Day in Barking and Dagenham invites residents to co-create community projects — from food growing to making clubs — with no prior experience needed.
• Open Systems Lab is building tools for people to design and steward their own shared urban spaces, using civic tech and open governance models.
• Democratic Society’s Civic Journey explores how people build confidence and connection through everyday acts of democracy, not just voting or consultations.

We’ve found that participation often begins in quieter, smaller ways — a conversation, a compliment, a commitment. Over time, those threads become stronger ties.

🧭 Adapting with care

The updates on safeguarding, bin collections and digital trials aren’t just service notes — they’re part of how we adapt together.

Mel’s work on an interactive safeguarding referral pathway (intranet link) makes it easier for staff to know what to do and when. Simon’s AI Lunch & Learn gave us a space to explore new tools with curiosity and care.

As Nesta’s 2023 State of Offices report points out, hybrid organisations need more deliberate, human-centred communications — not just to share information, but to sustain relationships and reinforce purpose.

We’re building that. One link, one lunch session, one small act of openness at a time.

🪴 Resilience is a culture, not just a capability

What struck me most in the newsletter wasn’t one big announcement. It was the layers.

Welcoming new starters.
Celebrating cost-of-living support.
Offering training on pensions and AI.
Making space for pay-day drinks and personal milestones.

That’s what resilience really looks like. Not just bouncing back from challenges, but building the connections and confidence to face them together.

Others are doing this too:

• TPXimpact builds resilience into delivery teams by centring wellbeing, retrospectives, and reflection as core practice — not side projects.
• Co-operatives UK supports co-ops to run culture audits and member-driven change processes, keeping participation at the heart of how they work.
• Civic Square in Birmingham blends local economic justice with storytelling and social rituals to strengthen long-term community resilience.

These organisations, like us, are learning to lead with openness, not certainty.

✨ A few steps you can try

If you’re working in strategy, participation or internal change, here are five things we’ve found helpful:

1. Use newsletters as culture carriers

Add warmth, reflections and shout-outs. Make the update feel like a shared moment, not just a memo.

2. Make participation low-barrier

Start with what’s comfortable — drop-ins, lunchtime sessions, sticky notes. Keep the door open for people to join in at their own pace.

3. Share the messy middle

Show the “works in progress,” not just the polished products. It builds credibility and invites feedback early.

4. Blend formats and tones

Different people need different ways to engage — so mix digital, in-person, formal, informal.

5. Honour all contributions

Celebrate the policy input and the community connection. The spreadsheet and the smile.

💬 Over to you

What quiet practices help your organisation stay resilient? How do you use everyday communication to invite people into the journey?

If you’ve got examples, questions or just want to chat about how to make internal comms more human and hopeful — I’d love to hear from you.

And if you’re reading this between bin tags and budget meetings — thank you. You’re helping us all build a better way of working, one update at a time.