This year, we’ve given our Town Halls a bit of a refresh. We’ve ditched the long, formal presentations and put the focus where it really counts - on our people. At this one, we looked back at what we’ve accomplished together so far in 2025 (and there’s been plenty to celebrate!), but we also looked ahead. We used this Town Hall to launch our new 3-year plan - a big, ambitious roadmap that sets some exciting challenges for the team. The goal was to show everyone exactly where we’re heading, what it means for their day-to-day work and the good things coming their way as a result.

Our Town Halls always include our ‘Verve Wins’, celebrations of personal and professional milestones (there’s lots of babies and weddings on the horizon for the Verve Team this year!), anything coming up that the team needs to know about like new starters or tech changes, and open chats from the SLT about all things Verve.

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Since we’re at the 6-month mark, here are 6 things that help us all get the most from our Town Halls:

1. Keep it human and real. It’s not just about slides - it’s about how people feel when they walk back to their desks. We celebrate our people as humans not just as employees, are honest about challenges and opportunities and encourage the team to shout up if they need anything clarifying. It’s about building trust and making sure people know that their voice will be heard.

2. Show the bigger picture - and people’s place in it. It’s easy to share a bold plan and leave people wondering, “What does this mean for me?” We try to break things down in simple, honest language, share real examples, and make it clear how everyone’s day-to-day work connects to where we’re heading next.

3. Make it feel like a moment, not a meeting. We kick off with something fun - this time it was an ice cream from the van parked up outside (the sundaes were a firm Verve favourite!). Afterwards, we also had chilled drinks in the office so everyone could stick around, catch up and chat about what they’d just heard. It doesn’t need to be fancy - but a social moment before and after helps everyone join the meeting feel relaxed and leave feeling that bit more connected.

4. Keep listening, always. A Town Hall isn’t the only time people should feel heard. But when you get everyone together, it’s the perfect chance to show you mean it - by giving them time to ask questions, share worries, and bring their ideas into the open. We keep it informal and follow up on the feedback, so people know we’re listening, not just nodding along.

5. Get it in the calendar. It’s easy to put these off when things get busy, but Town Halls shouldn’t just happen when there’s big news. We plan ours ahead and pop them in everyone’s diaries, so people know they’re coming. Keeping them regular (not just when something’s gone wrong!) helps everyone feel included and up to speed, all year round.

6. Celebrate and share feedback. We don’t just talk about good work behind closed doors - we make sure people feel seen. Throughout the month, the team shares ‘Kudos’ through our Breathe HR system, and in the Town Hall we shine a spotlight on it. We highlight top Kudos from each division, shout out the stand-out moments, and reward the overall winner. It keeps recognition front and centre and shows that the great work our team does every day doesn’t go unnoticed.

It’s easy to talk about culture like it’s a poster on the wall. But what we’re building at Verve is something you can actually feel - in the trust we build by being open, the questions people feel safe to ask, and the time we make for moments like this to connect as humans, not just colleagues.

If there’s one thing we’d share with anyone shaping their own Town Halls - don’t put them on just to tick a box. Use them to bring people closer, build confidence in what’s ahead, and remind everyone they’re part of something bigger. And yes - an ice cream van never hurts.

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