Kindness kits and quiet confidence: A case study on TFCU’s irreplaceable culture

I recently wrote an article discussing what culture is and how the sort of culture that leaves a legacy is one built by those on the frontlines. And shortly after, I had the opportunity to hear about one of these cultures firsthand. Tucson Federal Credit Union (TFCU) recently gave $100,000 to various nonprofits in its communities … as decided by employee vote.

And as the credit union’s CEO, Matthew Gaspari, said, “If TFCU disappeared tomorrow … the gap would be the vacuum that would be left with nonprofits who count on us to be part of their solution for the community. And not just in dollars, but in participation.”

But how does a credit union’s culture reach that point of relevance?

Gaspari shed some light on how TFCU obtained an irreplaceable culture, and his insights provide direction for your own credit union’s cultural journey.

Great cultures don’t come out of the blue. They need a firm foundation.

When Gaspari became TFCU’s CEO, he established a vision of “radical transparency” for the credit union. This means all employees understand the credit union’s strategy—not just the executives.

Credit union leaders perform one-to-two fireside chat series each year to put this principle into action. They meet with up to 12 employee groups to answer detailed questions about the organization’s financials and strategic direction. The result is both increased alignment and skyrocketing loyalty, giving the average TFCU employee a tenure of ten years.

“When they realize they are legitimately a critical piece of our success …now they’re owners of TFCU,” Gaspari said. “And not just as a member, but as an employee. They become owners of the strategy, of the vision, and that becomes a competitive advantage for us.”

Great cultures reach from the boardroom to the breakroom to the bathroom. It takes all hands on deck … and it needs people to live it (not just say words on a wall).

At TFCU, leaders both live and empower employees to live the credit union’s brand of community impact. “When you go out there and get your hands dirty … the team knows it’s not just an edict from on high,” Gaspari stated. “I’m going to put on sunscreen, go out there and do the same thing.”

They give their employees eight hours of paid volunteer time a year to serve community organizations. Leaders also actively implement team member ideas for expanding their service culture. One idea—assembling and distributing “kindness kits” of snacks, wipes, and more to the homeless—came from a front desk employee at the corporate office.

As Gaspari said, “When the team is inspired to get involved, we know we’re doing something right. It gives the employees room to act on what their values are and be a part of it instead of just seeing it on social.”

Great cultures have a tell. A silent signal that indicates you built something fantastic. That signal is feeling, and it includes staff sentiment. How does your team feel about you on Sunday night? How about all the other days, too?

Make no mistake … a brand is about how you make people feel as much as (if not more than) any numerical metric.

Gaspari described TFCU’s culture as “The quiet confidence of being exactly where you belong.” In other words, a calm acceptance precluding stress or anxiety about coming into work. That’s the Sunday night feeling you’re after.

And the other days? Gaspari noted employee reactions to participating in this year’s non-profit awards were extremely positive. As he said, “The smiles on the faces of the employees whose nominee won … told me everything I needed to know.”

Great cultures remember their histories. A brand culture that forgets its roots is one that finds itself adrift. You must always “dance with you brought you.”

For TFCU, those roots are in education. And Gaspari indicated the future of TFCU’s culture was closely linked to its history serving the education sphere.

“We’re leaning into our educational roots again,” Gaspari said. “We’re really talking to schools and other organizations about … what we can fund to keep kids exposed to arts, music, sports and give them something to do after school.”

A major step in TFCU’s return to form was giving $90,000 to the Kino School for a refurbished arts and music building. That’s not just a gentle reminder of where TFCU’s culture started. It’s a massive, blaring sign.

Ultimately, great cultures are from the heart. No amount of public relations, marketing magic or brand brouhaha will ever conceal an insincere culture.

TFCU has an abundance of heart. It extends throughout the credit union and provides a powerful example of how to involve staff in your service culture. It truly is a culture built on the frontlines. And it has an astounding return.

Gaspari summed it up best: “We want our generosity not to come from the corner office but from the community of employees we have. Having a culture of transparency doesn’t cost much, but the payoff is huge.”