For i3 Bank, building a thriving workplace culture isn’t just a goal—it’s a daily practice. With a strong commitment to fostering connection and purpose, this Nebraska-based financial institution has developed a culture that resonates at every level of the organization.
Dawn Beck, Vice President of Human Resources at i3 Bank, shares that “in over 96 years in business, the i3 team has experienced both its largest business growth and its most unique opportunities and challenges in recent years.” Dawn explained to our BetterCulture team that i3’s utilization of BetterCulture’s 20 Tenets of Culture platform has been a key driver of employee engagement and a key resource in addressing opportunities facing the company.
In this customer spotlight, we’re sharing how i3 Bank made cultural development a part of its DNA and how other organizations can follow in their footsteps to see lasting change.
Turning Core Values into Business Values with the 20 Tenets
For i3 Bank, BetterCulture’s 20 Tenets are far more than a list of 20 beneficial attitudes and behaviors; they’ve become a backbone for how the organization operates, interacts, and grows. The 20 Tenets are woven into the company’s daily operations and employee engagement efforts, with dedicated structures in place to keep them top-of-mind and actionable.
Similar to other BetterCulture clients, i3 had some basic goals for implementing 20 Tenets programming with all of its employees:
- Make an investment in overall company culture
- Improve team chemistry and performance
- Provide individual development for every employee
Thanks to a creative and driven leadership team, i3 bank has achieved noticeable results on all three of those objectives. They’ve strengthened their brand, developed leaders, improved professional development and performance management processes, and much more. Here is a bit more about how i3 did it.
Beyond the Basics: Creative Successes
Many organizations who utilize our 20 Tenets product do so because of the ease with which the product enables organizations to develop their people, teams, and culture.
But as i3 Bank has demonstrated, there is much additional benefit to be gained when organizations internalize and expand the content into their internal norms, tools, and processes.
Here are 5 specific ways that i3 Bank has leveraged the 20 Tenets content:
1. Coaching and Feedback:
As Dawn shares, “We’re using hashtags to reinforce important Tenets. For instance, if a leader is providing an employee with feedback on a problem or challenge, they might note the observation and encourage the individual to #OwnIt&FixIt.”
2. Executive-Level Vision & Strategy:
i3 Bank has demonstrated an across-the-board commitment to its people and culture initiatives by incorporating the Tenets alongside their core values in the company’s strategic planning processes which are shared with the company’s board, and reviewed quarterly by senior leadership.
3. Employee Engagement Committee—Championing Culture Year-Round:
i3’s Employee Engagement Committee doesn’t just plan events; they use each gathering as a platform to reinforce key values. For instance, they researched national days such as National Kindness Day and National Friends Day to tie team meetings or company events to Tenet #12 Kind or Tenet #15 Friends. On National Forgiveness Day they reinforced the documented personal health benefits of #Forgiving others. i3 leaders play 20 Tenets coaching content in team meetings and use discussion questions to initiate meaningful development conversations, underscoring why #Kindness, #Friendship and #Forgivness are foundational interpersonal and team skills. These consistent touchpoints keep the Tenets alive in the everyday work experience.
4. Monthly Culture Reminders from Leadership:
Each month, an executive highlights one of the 20 Tenets in a newsletter article, sharing its significance and how it applies to current business goals. This regular communication ensures that all employees, from leadership to front-line staff, have a clear understanding of the values that drive i3 Bank forward as well as a reminder of how they’re expected to contribute to the culture.
5. Performance Reviews Focus on Cultural Commitment:
Every employee at i3 Bank is encouraged to actively incorporate the Tenets into their work. During performance reviews, managers ask team members which Tenets they have chosen to work on and how they have leaned into those Tenets and the company’s core values to improve the team or the organization’s culture. This unique approach to performance management has helped every employee see their role in shaping a positive culture and has created accountability for living i3’s values.
i3 Bank’s Culture-Driven Success: Tips for Other Organizations
i3 Bank’s commitment to culture has yielded impressive results, from stronger employee engagement to more intentional hiring and onboarding processes. Dawn Beck, VP of Human Resources, shares some key insights for other organizations looking to achieve similar results:
1. Prioritize Employee Engagement:
i3 Bank’s culture-driven approach has led to higher engagement levels, as employees feel more connected to what’s important within the company. By keeping values visible and relevant, employees are continually reminded of the shared goals and expectations that define the organization.
2. Make Cross-Departmental Connections:
The conversational themes from the 20 tenets have given i3 an easy reason to connect people across the organization to talk about something other than their job or department. Focusing on the Tenets helps them learn about each other through personal and professional experiences and makes them feel like a more engaged member of the team.
3. Hire for Cultural Fit First:
With a strong cultural foundation in place, i3 Bank has changed its approach to hiring. Dawn emphasizes that finding candidates who align with the organization’s values is a top priority. “We look for employees who will support and engage with our culture well,” she notes, explaining that this approach helps maintain a cohesive and engaged team who believe in and contribute to i3’s mission.
Why the 20 Tenets Work: A Foundation for Lasting Impact
i3 Bank’s focus on culture has created an environment where every employee knows what the organization stands for. The structured use of the 20 Tenets has established a common language and understanding across the bank, making it easy for employees to support one another and stay aligned on goals. The tenets have become part of the everyday language, used in celebrations and problem-solving alike. It’s this kind of reinforcement, from performance reviews to monthly employee engagement events, that ensures values aren’t just words on a wall—they’re lived out daily.
Inspiration for Other Organizations
If your organization is looking to make culture a focal point, i3 Bank’s journey shows that it takes commitment, consistency, and structure. Embedding values into every touchpoint—from hiring and onboarding to team meetings and executive communications—creates a cohesive, meaningful workplace culture. As i3 Bank has shown, culture-building isn’t a one-time project; it’s a continuous, collective effort that reaps rewards over time.
For an in-depth look at i3 Bank’s full story and their approach to embedding culture, check out our i3 Bank Case Study.
A Final Thought…
i3 Bank’s journey reminds us that when organizations invest in culture, they aren’t just improving the workplace—they’re building a foundation that drives success and fulfillment for every employee.
As Dawn shared in her final summation: “One of my newest hires from a very large bank in town said, ‘you can just tell the culture is different here.’”
That kind of culture doesn’t happen by accident. Kudos to i3 Bank and their remarkable team.
