Values, built together
Before shaping the future, we needed to understand the present. Our first project was National Friendly’s inaugural employee engagement survey.
From there, we defined new values, not behind closed doors, but with the people who would live them every day. Four open, high-energy workshops created space for reflection and honest conversation; 100% of employees attended.
What emerged was a set of values that felt owned, authentic and understood across the business. Each value was then clearly defined by a tangible set of behaviours, through the same collaborative process.
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Values, built together
Before shaping the future, we needed to understand the present. Our first project was National Friendly’s inaugural employee engagement survey.
From there, we defined new values, not behind closed doors, but with the people who would live them every day. Four open, high-energy workshops created space for reflection and honest conversation; 100% of employees attended.
What emerged was a set of values that felt owned, authentic and understood across the business. Each value was then clearly defined by a tangible set of behaviours, through the same collaborative process.
In the Bristol office, environmental graphics introduced the new values into everyday life. A timeline of National Friendly’s history anchored the values, a reminder of origin, and the onward journey.
Once the dust had settled on the values launch, teams were invited to values engagement sessions hosted by their line managers. Bowline supported with guidance and materials to ease discussions.
Leading change
From there, the focus shifted to National Friendly’s executive leadership team through a three-day programme, rooted in Insights Discovery.
Here, Insights provided a framework to strengthen self-awareness and equip leaders to guide teams and the wider business through change. Through open discussion and practical exercises, it eventually became a shared language.
Building on this, we started on broader scale management development. Helping aspiring, new and existing managers to level up across a five-day workshop.
Moving forward together
For the first time, Bowline delivered a full company-wide activation of Insights Discovery.
Every individual and team was mapped onto the Insights wheel, revealing how individuals – skills, strengths, weaknesses, communications styles – fit within their teams, and how those teams connect.
The impact was business wide. The entire business, including leadership, shared a common understanding of themselves and each other, and a clear sense of the values, behaviours and direction shaping the business.
Change, delivered
Our partnership with National Friendly is ongoing. The executive team has entered a new phase of one-to-one coaching supported by Bowline’s network of experts. And we’ve worked closely with the marketing team to ensure the external brand reflects the internal culture.
In 2025, National Friendly recorded its highest ever sales. A return to its roots, return to high performance, and we couldn’t be prouder to support this ambitious, historic business through its next phase of growth.
