TMA and Municipality of Arnhem

To become more efficient and innovative, consider seeking cooperation. The Taxes team, which already works for the municipalities of Arnhem and Renkum, has also started working with the municipality of Rheden this year. This will result in new functions and roles for employees. Manager Willeke den Hartog chose the TMA Method to provide her team with more insight into their talents, enabling them to make targeted preparations.

The Taxes team has been in existence for some time and has undergone several changes since 2012. Den Hartog explains that 'time is needed to make these transitions well'.For example, it was difficult to become more self-directed while the Municipality of Arnhem wanted to delegate more responsibilities to lower levels of the organization.

'We started to focus on team building, getting to know each other better, and going on a day out,' she continues. However, we ultimately decided on a six or seven-session team coaching program over the course of nine months to empower team members. Additionally, it provides an objective assessment of each individual's current standing. During this time, we were introduced to TMA and recognized it as a valuable development tool. TMA not only allows us to identify employee competencies but also the competencies required for new roles.

Providing Tools

Den Hartog shares how the process unfolded. “Exactly a year ago, over forty people completed a TMA talent assessment, including employees we’ve engaged for extended periods. We quickly noticed that the employees’ talents predominantly lie in process orientation. This isn’t surprising, given that tax collection and processing have an administrative nature, requiring attention to detail and precision. Prior to the reorganization, there were always managers steering the team, and that worked well for the team itself. However, self-direction demands different talents, such as results orientation and the ability to see beyond the process.”

In addition to reorganizations, external factors influence the competency profiles of roles. “Our field is also rapidly evolving,” explains Den Hartog. “Not long ago, we used measuring tapes to collect information for municipal taxes; now, we extract data from various files. The tasks are increasingly digitized, with connections between databases. It’s more dynamic. What we used to do every five years now happens every two years and must be adjusted annually.”

The TMA experts from Kat-Haros discussed the talent analyses with everyone. “The focus was on the employees’ development opportunities compared to the competency profiles of the old roles and those of the new Belastingen team,” says Den Hartog. “How can you develop your talents to fit a new role?”

The municipality’s goal is to provide employees with tools to gain insight into their talents, empowering them to operate from a position of strength. “We all benefit from this,” says Den Hartog. “That’s why we offered a 360-degree feedback in the spring. Everyone self-assessed their performance on specific competencies. This self-score, along with the TMA report, provides valuable and objective insights.”

Positive Approach

The TMA has brought several positive outcomes to our organization. Currently, we are primarily focused on individual employees. Remarkable progress has been made: for instance, we’ve been able to show individuals caught in a negative spiral the beautiful array of talents they possess. I hope that soon we can gather the entire team and collectively discuss the talent analyses: “This is who we are, these are everyone’s talents—how can we complement each other?” However, we’re not quite ready for that level of openness yet.

According to Den Hartog, the TMA leads to different conversations. “It provides transparency in how people perceive their competencies—objectively and positively. Until recently, development discussions were primarily about addressing areas of improvement. Now, we approach things much more positively. As an organization, we’re still adjusting to this shift. Additionally, translating the TMA insights into personal goals isn’t equally straightforward for everyone. Some employees require more effort from their managers than others. The negative connotations historically associated with performance cycles haven’t entirely dissipated, but we’re moving in the right direction!”

She believes that the TMA serves as an excellent guide for employees’ development perspectives. Consequently, she considers the TMA Talent Compass a valuable addition to Raet’s Performance Management software. When it becomes available to everyone, organizations will need to contemplate their vision for employee development and how to embed it within the organization

About Municipality of Arnhem

The Gemeente Arnhem is a “100,000 plus” municipality with approximately 1,700 employees. The municipality provides citizens and businesses with a wide range of products and services related to housing, work, public services, and social and spatial projects. The Tax team is responsible for collecting and processing all municipal taxes. Arnhem is collaborating with the municipalities of Renkum and Rheden under the name 'De Connectie'

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