Perkbox isn't just a company, it's a way of life. Happiness isn't just part of our product, it's the core of everything we do. Turn the pages of our Culture Book to discover what it's like to work behind the scenes of the UK's fastest growing employee engagement provider.
3. 02
We’re Perkbox – come
inside and meet the team.
This is our culture book. We’ve
filled it with all the fun things
which we think make working
here so unique.
See, Perkbox isn’t just a
company – it’s a way of life.
Happiness isn’t just part of
our product, it’s the core of
everything we do.
In the following pages,
you’ll find photos from the
office, stories from our
team and partners, plus a
few fun surprises.
So turn the page and start
your journey.
10. There are people in our company that are very
very close to each other, very very good friends.
‘‘
Saurav Chopra, Co-founder and CEO
’’
There are so many things going on in our business but one of the things I
really remember and I think I will remember for a long time is actually what
Maddie and Gemma did for Priyanka. You know when Priyanka was leaving
and you guys came down and said “hey can I do this?” And first of all I was
really impacted by that. I have worked in a lot of companies and I have not
seen that happen. It could be that I’ve worked for big companies or bigger
startups but I’ve never seen that happen.
And then you actually did that I was blown away by the amount of effort
that you put in and how well it turned out. I still remember that and it has
become one of my favourite stories.
There are people in our company that are very very close to each other, very
very good friends. So yeah, that is my favourite story. It has really showed
me that everyone cares a lot and loves each other. It is really really nice to
see people care so much about each other. It makes a nicer, more fun and
engaging environment.
09
11. Toraise our seed round in 2011, we had to get our website quickly, so I got
on Elance, which is a marketplace for developers. We got one guy and told
him we need to build a group buying platform for small business owners. He
built us a platform based on one in China since they have a lot over there. He
built that quite quickly for us and we had a system of putting up deals, and
that was really cool.
One night, I was playing around with the site and I was trying to put up deals
and all of the sudden there was a pop-up all in Chinese. I was like, “Holy shit,
we have been hacked by some Chinese hackers”. Later I realised that since
we needed to get it done quickly, the developer just repurposed a Chinese
group buying platform. He later told us that he spent the whole week trans-
lating the webpage from Chinese to English but what he forgot to do was
translate the error messages. So we had all these error messages in Chinese.
And that is just an example of how we tried to do things quickly and get
them out the door. Anything is possible.
We expect mistakes but we expect people
to learn quickly.
‘‘
Chieu Cao, Co-founder and CMO
’’
10
12. CULT
And more often than not the impossible
becomes yesterday’s story.
‘‘
’’
11
I met Saurav and Chieu fairly randomly – I was seeking something and didn’t quite know
what. They were looking for someone that wasn’t really me. Not the most auspicious of
starts! Yet through the entire endless interview process I realised I really liked their desire
to build something that could last, and their basic complete lack of vanity.
I was asked to join as a consultant, hiding the fact that I was looking to join full time.
Saurav and Chieu wanted to see how I reacted to people, and how people reacted to me.
Perkbox HQ was different then – but was as endearing to me then as it is now. It was a
mess of music, ping pong tables, video games and people clumped about on desks way
too close to one another. It really was a mess… but a beautiful mess.
But everybody could feel the basic energy – the intention of building something really
unique in terms of business and culture. And the sense of togetherness and desire to
get things done outweighed by far any lack of experience. In fact, what became clear to
me then is that a more experienced team would never be able to do the things we are
doing. When you don’t know things are impossible you don’t question whether they are
achievable. And that’s what’s wonderful and unique about this place – we continuously
strive for the unachievable and the impossible – sometimes not elegantly. But always
together. And more often than not the impossible becomes yesterday’s story.
I’m lucky I spotted that then. I’m luckier I now live it every day.
Gautam Sahgal, COO
13. TUREOur first launch:
Our first Customer Engagement launch was agreed at the end of December
2013 and our partner had decided they wanted to launch in February 2014,
which was very exciting. The only problem was that we didn’t have a full
platform up and running, we knew what we had to do but did not really know
how we were going to deliver it in such a short amount of time.
There are a huge amount of hoops to jump through with large companies,
including legal, IT security, operations, data journeys, brand guidelines and
communications plans. It took an unbelievable team effort from Priyanka,
Ben, James and Shaid to pull the whole thing together. They even worked
over Christmas to ensure we could launch on time and delivered beyond
what we were aiming for.
We launched on time and our partner has been with us since, and is still
going strong. Our determination to make it work, no matter what was in
the way, is the reason we succeeded. Perkbox culture thrives on working
together to create something unprecedented, and across every team that
same impact is achievable by our teams, and that is a rare position to be in.
Our determination to make it work, no matter
what was in the way, is the reason we succeeded.
‘‘
Alastair Doig, Sales Director
’’
12
14. Perkbox is a place where people are friends, and the team are all tens
Perkbox is a place where you won’t get the blues, but you do get free booze
Perkbox is a place if you’re ever in need, the team will give you free leads
Perkbox is a place that will allow you to grow, in ways that show
Perkbox is a place that succeeds, while meeting everyone’s needs
Perkbox is a place that treats you like a Lord, and always strikes the right chord
Perkbox is a place that helps you engage, so no one’s in a rage
Perkbox is a place that helps you retain, so you can stay sane
Perkbox is a place that is itself an attraction, so you don’t have to take action.
Chris Ritson, Head of Sales
13
15. Irina Savitskaya, Senior Business Develpment Manager
Once upon a time, in a land that lacked all kinds of perks, where teamwork is key through fun and hard work,
Perkbox was born, so strong, convenient and so profound, it brought people savings, happiness, love, friendships and sticking around.
Minute by minute, hour by hour, and so on and so forth – Perkbox grew strong,
Strong as a mountain, as fast as the wind, rising up like like the “Rocky Balboa” theme song!
The guys and girls here are truly unique, if you have highs or lows – they sure know what makes you tick.
The adventures are endless, the memories sweet, more so on those “rare” Friday nights when we shake to the beat.
The stories of Perkbox could go on and on, the laughs, the jokes, how we all get along...
But I have a demo, so good day, farewell, I have to go.
The End.
14
16. Madlena Pozlevic, Engagement Manager.
Jack Beldon, Head of Sales.
When I left the US to come to the UK, I
expected something of a new beginning, but
I would never have considered myself lucky.
Being a part of Perkbox, I’ve realised how
lucky I really am.
Perkbox has inspired me on so many levels,
to achieve wonders! The best part about
working at Perkbox is the people. Every single
person has made an imprint in my life, even
if they don’t know it. I don’t consider Perkbox
a job – I consider it a family, my very own
Perkbox family!
When I was a small girl my parents used to say - Maddie,
choose a job you love, and you will never have to work
a day in your life. To be honest, I have never understood
this phrase. Who likes Monday mornings? Or who likes
meeting the deadlines or sometimes working under the
pressure? NO ONE! But then... I met Perkbox and I have
changed my mind....
My Perkbox Story is all about people (Alastair, Saurav,
Damir and Ben) who helped me to create my own
role, who cared and believed in me to do the job I was
dreaming about.
Jack Beldon, Sales Director
Madlena Pozlevic, Engagement Manager
Cristina Santos, Senior Business Development Manager
Working at Perkbox has easily been the best
period of my entire career. We have a team
that not only works hard, but is supremely
intelligent, confident and willing to learn. It’s
no wonder why we are performing the way
we are.
My favourite memory was taking the top-
sellers away for a fully expensed weekend
in Barcelona, it was an unreal experience
and one that the team truly deserved.
An amazing environment and company
culture makes this place unbeatable.
15
CULTURE MAKES THIS
17. I joined Perbox almost two years ago – a fresh-faced graduate
with next to no experience. Thanks to a hereditary lack of
testosterone I’m still fresh-faced, but the passage of time has
fixed everything else.
Back then, the team was about a dozen stupendously talented
people, all crammed inside a shoebox of an office. Over the last 18
months I’ve watched us double, triple – even quadruple in size.
It’s lucky then, that we’ve managed to fill our new – much more
spacious office – with an equally smart, accepting, and hard-
working group of individuals, who all contribute towards making
Perkbox the amazing place to work it is today.
I’ve made some of my best friends here, had some great
experiences, and created enough memories to bore my future
grandchildren to death.
“Don’t be stupid Gramps,” they’ll say. “No one could create a
company like that with a bunch of second-hand Lenovos.”
Oh how wrong they’ll be.
Rob Barrie, Chief Copywriter
16
S PLACE UNBEATABLE
18. In my interview for Perkbox I was forced to play table tennis.
I was told this game would decide my fate. It was the game of a lifetime.
“Why do you want to work here?!” The Sales Director roared whilst serving up
the ball.
Miraculously, my bat was just able to catch it and I welped, tapping the ball back, “...it
just seems...like you’ve a great company culture here.”
“Have you ever worked in a start-up before?!” He asked with a furious lob that re-
quired me to make a run for it.
“NO! BUT I’D LOVE THE CHANCE TO SEE HOW A BUSINESS LIKE THIS WILL GROW!!!”
I screamed back, my hands stinging from the twack of the paddle.
This rally went on like this for what seemed like hours. He interrogated me about my
OTEs and grilled me for inconsistencies in my past experiences. It was brutal.
I don’t remember who won. I think I blacked out and likely lost, but I am positive it
was through sheer force of will that I got the job and was forever changed.
Tony Cantwell, Sales Team Manager
17
19. Kevin Eze, QA Test Engineer
After finishing university and looking for your first job as a
fresh member of the working world, you expect to be that
young outsider surrounded by people twice your age and
assigned to a tiny desk in an office corner.
I was instead made to feel very welcome by a team
of people in my age group flying remote-controlled
helicopters, playing house music and juggling stress balls
(in the office) – all while being good at their jobs and
working on a number of cool projects.
Nine months later, I can still say that Perkbox is a place that
doesn’t sacrifice a sense of fun in favour of progress and
results, and that’s the kind of culture I aim to take with me
wherever I go.
18
20. Ben Leeds, Product Director
19
It all started in a coffee shop near Tottenham Court Road.
I met with Chieu and Saurav, who sat me down and
explained their vision for the business. I was struck by their
overwhelming hunger and passion – and, fresh out of uni, I
couldn’t help but feel excited.
What I particularly remember talking about was ‘growth’ –
they said the business was ‘moving fast’ and that they had
ultra-growth in their sights (I remember Saurav saying ‘10x
the size’, at least a dozen times). I was sceptical at the time…
A week later (during my graduation ceremony) I received a
job offer at Perkbox – or ‘Huddlebuy’, as it was known at the
time, and just a week after that I walked through the door for
my first day.
Following directions on my phone on a boiling hot August
day, I made my way up grungy Denmark Street, past the Hare
Krishna HQ, directly through the middle of a strange Spanish
travel agency and into the office.
Well, ‘office’. Both the size and temperature resembled a
sauna and there was a jungle of ethernet wires and power
cables underfoot. The room was dead silent apart from the
dull moan of the pound shop USB mini-fans, and I think
it was those that were the only thing keeping everyone
breathing while they worked.
I was very open minded and really didn’t have any
expectations, but was still somehow completely shocked.
Instantly reassessing my decision to take the job offer and
questioning my sanity, I wondered what it would be like
if I’d just taken the ‘normal’ route – a nice grad scheme in
an air-conditioned finance office, like all my other sensible
friends. These harsh conditions were the humble beginning
of what is now one of the most unique companies I’ve
ever seen.
I’m glad to say the company has changed a little bit over
the years… I often arrive to our (now fabulously spacious)
Blackfriars office to colleagues racing around on scooters
and precariously balancing on hoverboards whilst throwing
stress balls into a hoop.
The company has a pulse, a vibrancy about it that hits
you as soon as you enter the building. Fun and happiness
are core to the business and in my opinion, really the key
factors in the company’s ongoing success. Led by our
strong and aspirational leaders, together we do whatever it
takes to be successful.
Sometimes it means staying until 5am, sometimes it means
working at the weekend… but it’s all worth it.
21. Natasha Phillips, Corporate Partnerships Manager
20
What can I say about my experience at Perkbox so far? Well,
from the moment I stepped into the office on my first day back
in October, to the very day I write this, the same words spring
to mind when I think about what Perkbox stands for
– a vibrant, determined, ambitious, varied, collaborative
company that stems from hard work, but more importantly,
teamwork.
The incredible qualities that Perkbox possesses are rare for
a company that came to be just over a year ago, signifying
its unbelievable success through sheer determination and
belief. This is why I love working here so much. The belief that
anything is possible and that the impossible is truly within
reach is a fantastic vision to hold.
Personally, the exposure that I was able to have from day
one and the ability to be able to carve my own path is exactly
the type of company I had hoped to be working for. Not only
are you allowed to give your input, you are also encouraged
to voice your ideas and opinions, ensuring you are part of a
collective achievement. This culture makes for a fantastic
future and one that I am excited to be a part of!
22. 21
UNSTOP
Together we are
Gul Singh, Partnerships Manager
Perkbox is a company that is made for human beings looking to excel in life.
Our focus is to empower, inspire and educate employees and business owners
to achieve greatness.
Perkbox has a great company culture – one that is open, honest, focused and
dedicated to team goals and morale.
We are looking to instill happiness, individuality, collaboration and a bigger
purpose that we can all achieve together.
Alone we are weak, together we are unstoppable.
24. My first day at Perkbox happened to coincide with the summer staff
party. Actually, I wasn’t due to start work until a few days later, but
they suggested I join a bit early so I could see what the company was
all about.
It all began with me meeting my new – and very welcoming –
Marketing team. The day ended at four, which was great, but what
came next was even better: a speed boat ride up the Thames, a party
bus full of alcohol, and finally a festival-style booze and buffet party
at London Fields. Not your average first day!
Claire Rodwell, Marketing Acquisitions Manager
Matthew Nash, Marketing Manager
23
Expect to work as hard as you play. My first day
was the office party - I came in at ten o’clock in
the morning, finished at four and was put on a
party bus with a bottle of wine by half past.
My second day was eight hours of Excel and a
baptism of fire in Salesforce. Followed by a boozy
meal in Covent Garden with the team. No rest for
the wicked, ey?
25. I feel very lucky to have made some of my best friends here at Perkbox,
as well as work with some incredibly talented people. I’ve grown so much,
both personally and professionally, and I will always be grateful for the
support I’ve received, particularly from Alastair and Chieu.
Alastair is one of the most intelligent, inspirational and creative people I’ve
ever met. As my friend, confidant and mentor, he inspires me every day,
and it’s been a privilege to learn from someone so talented. His impact
on Perkbox is undeniable – not only has he brought in a lot of that cash
money, but he has also played a huge role in establishing our company
culture. I think him and Ben have done so many monumental things here
and I’m glad I get to work with such talented people.
Being able to grow with a company, and have a voice that is heard and
valued by the age of 23, is such a unique thing. All my friends comment on
how obsessed I am with work, but I think that most of my colleagues are,
simply because we feel like we’re part of the business.
Working with people who are so supportive and caring makes you want
to constantly work harder and do better. Nick, Max, Judy, David and Matt
are some of my favourite people in the world, and I know some of the
people I’ve met here will be my friends forever. The people at Perkbox
aren’t just your work friends. They’re so much more than that.
I’m so thankful that Perkbox came into my life, and I can’t imagine ever
working anywhere better. I want to end my story with a final huge
thank you to Alastair and Dan, who have shaped both my professional and
personal lives more than they will ever know. Alastair, I know I tell you all
the time, but thank you for always believing in me.
Rosa George-James, Partnerships Marketing Manager
24
26. I’ve only been at Perkbox for a week and I already feel like part of the team. I love how friendly everyone is – it’s definitely a
fun environment to be in!
Perkbox is fast paced yet laid back at the same time, which motivates me to work harder in Marketing and gives me a
clearer overview of how a successful business is run.
What’s more, all the staff get unbelievable perks, but what I really love is the free food in the kitchen.
The best part about all this is
I joined Perkbox in its very early stages. To be exact, I am team member number seven.
What do I love about Perkbox? The culture first and foremost. I’d go so far as to say you won’t get it anywhere else. Work is
and has always been FUN here!
So far, for simply doing what I love, I’ve been taken to Barcelona, get beer at my desk every Friday and I work with and learn
from all kinds of interesting individuals from a wealth of backgrounds..
Aside from this, I speak with some of the newest and oldest, biggest and smallest, most interesting businesses in the UK! Not
to mention being taken on a speed boat across the Thames and more nights out than I can remember!
Tanner Mehmet, Business Development Manager
Ellie Selston, Customer Happiness Manager
Danielle Sarpong, Marketing Intern
Being a relative newbie, I am really overwhelmed by the company’s focus on culture and happiness within the team. I’ve
never worked in an environment where this was highly regarded in a practical-sense.
I am excited to move to the new office and see all of Maddie’s amazing engagement plans take shape.
My experience so far is that I am really lucky to be working with a team who are inappropriate, funny, sometimes strange and
always willing to make each other’s work days easier.
‘‘
‘‘
‘‘
’’
’’
’’
25
27. it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
‘‘
’’
Perkbox defines employee happiness!
Rowan Bailey, Senior Account Manager
One year down the line, I don’t entirely regret taking this job!
I joined as employee no.32ish, and we are now just shy of 100.
On my Perkbox birthday, I paused in the middle of the office,
with its barrage of sales patter and at least three sources of
questionable/unsynchronized music, for a moment of peace-
ful reflection...
In the beginning there was James Crowley, with his infinite
knowledge of the back-end and sexy waistcoats. Then came
the summer party, with a speedboat down the Thames and a
party in a field.
The company exploded in the autumn and there were new fac-
es every week guaranteed. I noticed that it never took long for
anyone to settle in and, in turn, become those welcoming the
new starters into the fold.
The Christmas party is also worth a mention, as it turns out we
can organise a piss up in a brewery after all. A well-orches-
trated assault on our collective livers - comedy, dancing and
a few people who decided to ‘have a nap’ before 8pm, classic
Perkbox.
2016 has brought a lot more change and good times already,
and the vibe is going strong!
26
28. Hannah Sims, Marketing Manager
Mille Holst, Partnerships Manager
I arrived at Perkbox straight out of uni. To be honest, I didn’t really
know much about the real world – and maybe I still don’t – but I
saw a listing for a Marketing Intern position at a super cool, happi-
ness-promoting start-up so, naturally, I clicked (which is a sign of
great marketing, by the way). I filled in my details, went for an inter-
view and now just this week I’ve been hired as a full-time employee!
I know I’m supposed to say it’s the work I love most (and I do like
that too), but honestly I think it’s the company culture that makes
Perkbox so special. You might think I’m paid to say that, but it’s true!
I knew this was going to be the case from the moment I arrived for
my interview – I couldn’t actually open the main office door because
it was wedged shut by a rickety red trolley that I later came to know
as the ‘Friday afternoon booze trolley’.
I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such smart people every day.
They know exactly what they’re doing, but they’re also willing to
share their knowledge and expertise with me. I have already learnt
so much, and I’m still so excited for what’s to come.
My first week at Perkbox I was in shock...
I came from the corporate world into the world of Perkbox
which included office music, people laughing, playing with
stress-balls and having the most awesome Friday bar. Not long
after I found out it also came with the most amazing colleagues
which many are now close friends too. Perkbox is the kind of
place you dream of working but never think is actually possible.
Perkbox is my second family.
27
29. I began my wonderful journey at Perkbox
as an intern on Friday the 25th of August
2016. I know it was a Friday because the
first memorable piece of information I
received from the co-founder and CMO
Chieu Cao was “Start on a Friday, that is
when the beer trolley comes around. You
will like that. Everybody drinks and has
fun”. From that moment forward I knew I
had a mentor in Chieu and I’m sure many
colleagues feel the same way.
David Bliss, Marketing Executive
Damir Latte, Recruitment & Talent Manager
Part of my job is to hire people for Perkbox. I have worked for a couple of other
startups before and thought I had seen it all, but it was soon to become emi-
nently apparent to me that this place is different.
From the good natured vibe that is immediately apparent as you walk in for
the first time, to the complete accessibility of all your new cohorts, to the free
drinks on Fridays and the hi-jinks that inevitably follow, to the fiercely contest-
ed FIFA and table tennis tournaments, to the epic Xmas party which I foggily
recollect and beyond, the way that working culture is cultivated here is a sight
to behold.
Almost to the point, in fact, that it feels like I’m throwing a party rather than
working. Sometimes I find it amazing that I am even paid to do my job. Obvi-
ously though, don’t publish this.
28
30. Brad Morris, Senior Business Development
Manager
Joe Murphy, Costumer Happiness Executive Elsa Bacchiolelli, Account Manager
Robert Gould, Copywriter
Joe Rawnsley, Partnerships Manager
William Koning, Corporate Partnerships
Manager
Will Spence, Account ExecutiveTimothy Withers, Senior Business
Develpment Manager
I enjoy working for Perkbox be-
cause of the company’s culture,
as well as the people I work with
to make it all happen. I take a lot
of satisfaction in helping small
to medium-sized businesses
grow on a daily basis.
During my time at Perkbox, I’ve
made new friends and tackled
new challenges, sometimes
while dressed in a dinosaur
onesie. Which is obviously the
best thing ever.
Perkbox is full of energy and
ambition. We are a cool bunch
of people working towards
making all UK offices happier
places. At Perkbox, we work re-
ally hard but we also know how
to have fun and to help one an-
other.
The standing ovations and
rounds of applause for
teams and individuals that
succeed is something that
lifts the whole office, re-
minding us that we work for
an awesome company!
Trekking up to Nuneaton in chilly darkness
to deliver a talk in a factory was a challeng-
ing but ultimately rewarding experience,
especially when I saw 70 faces light up
with happiness when I told them about the
benefits of Perkbox. It was a pretty awe-
some feeling.
Since joining Perkbox I no
longer get Sunday blues.
The team support you pro-
fessionally and personally,
and I know I will have made
some friends for life.
So there was this one time (not at
bandcamp) when everyone was go-
ing to go home on Friday because
everyone was tired (boring) The next
minute we’re all in a bar, then before
you know it, 25 colleagues were back
at my flat for an after party till the
sun came up. Classic Perkbox!
I’ve always felt that the more I have in common with
people, the less special my own point of view must
be. Both my mind and personality rage against mak-
ing these kinds of connections, out of an irrational
fear of diluting of losing my precious individuality.
So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered
that I did not loathe life in a company as team-driv-
en as Perkbox. The cold hard truth is that I actually
rather like it. Our Marketing team may be youthful
and compact, but jeepers, we’re good. Of course, I
still have a lot to learn as a copywriter, but I cannot
think of a better place to do it.
29
31. Catrin Addison, Account Executive
Sam Monk-Wilson, Account Manager
Charlotte Ollerenshaw, Corporate Account
Manager
Mohsin Chowdhury, Finance Manager
Edwin Joseph, Front-End Web Developer
The unfortunate instances of people
leaving sour milk in the coffee machine
are redeemed by the constant laughter
and amusing conversations across the
office. Oh, and all the fizzy water and
Belvita biscuits are great.
The best thing about Perkbox is the atmos-
phere, there is never a dull moment. The team
are always smiling and there is always fun to be
had. Whether that is an impromptu table tennis
tournament or half the team huddled around
Pac Man waiting for someone to beat the top
score. Add in our great benefits and this makes
for a winning combination (lunch is always
cheap with our free tastecard!)
Perkbox is the company that provides
simple but desirable employee perks
to SMEs. It can make an employee so
much happier, which in return for the
employer helps attract, engage and
retain great staff.
The main reason why I enjoy working
for Perkbox is the product. It’s some-
thing I believe in, and I think it has the
potential I think is huge so I feel I can
grow within the company, the posi-
tivity, energy, fresh ideas and friend-
liness that everyone brings making it
a fantastic place to work.
I remember feeling instantly wel-
comed and put at ease by the warmth
and sociability of everyone at Perkbox.
I have always loved the idea of
working for a small start-up busi-
ness. I feel like when you work
for a small business, it’s like a
second family, and to me that’s
what Perkbox is. Coming to work
every day doesn’t feel like a chore,
I get to see, whom I consider, my
relatives – distant cousins. I don’t
come into work because it’s a job,
I genuinely love what I do and be-
lieve in what I do. Family is what it
means to work at Perkbox.
Simply amazing!
The never-ending supply of free snacks is both
the best and worst thing about working at Perk-
box. Now that I’m fat, I really have to redeem one
of those gym benefits.
Jevgeni Tarlokov, Graphic and UI/UX Designer
30
32. James Holman, Account Manager
BEING PART
OF THE PERKBOX
TEAM IS INCREDIBLE.
There is always something fun going on in the office and everyone there is
so positive and great to be around.
Since starting just a few short months ago, I have been given the oppor-
tunity to be a part of so many exciting things. The best of which was the
photoshoot that we all took part in on my second day. Instead of hiring pro-
fessionals, the Perkbox team decided we would be the face of the company,
appearing on our website, promotional material and the presentations that
are taken out to our customers.
We went to a studio and were given loads of props before heading to a
backdrop where we were photographed performing various poses. I’m not
sure if it was the atmosphere, or simply the amount of sweets supplied by
Perkbox that gave us all the energy to bounce around the studio but it was
amazing fun and the pictures turned out great!
It’s not hard to pose for a shoot designed to promote employee happiness
when you’re having good fun with an amazing team.
For me, Perkbox defines employee happiness!
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34. JAMES BRYANTPerkbox employee since 2013-2015
I have a number of fond memories from my time at Perkbox, but one
stands out above the rest. We ran an email campaign offering free
hand-delivered craft beers to the first members who replied to an email
campaign with the words ‘I love beer!’. I spent a hectic Friday afternoon
jumping in and out of an Uber, running around various London startup
offices, delivering beer by hand to our members. The goal was to build
user engagement with the brand and gather first hand feedback and was
a resounding success, whilst our Twitter feed went through the roof. Just
another day at Perkbox...
Perkbox is a company that practices what they preach. Its remarkable
success is testament to the core values that defines the product - that
great teams make great things. For many months it was a side project,
largely run by myself and Product Manager Ben Leeds, based on an idea
that we could use the same core features that helped B2B blue chips
retain clients, to help those same businesses attract and retain their
employees.
Over a period of roughly 8 months we took it from initial concept through
a period of beta testing. We created an MVP using a freemium model,
through which we acquired 10,000 employees of some of the UK’s fastest
growing young companies as members with zero marketing spend. During
this time we honed, tweaked and improved based on constant customer
feedback, identifying key features that would help small businesses like us
engage with their employees and show them they were valued.
It’s hard to imagine now, but we faced a number of challenges that
threatened the success of Perkbox. The transition from freemium MVP
to paid membership was arguably the greatest challenge, and tested
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our belief in the product, and thereby in the team that built it. We were
unable to roll out premium features to freemium users and therefore it
proved very challenging to convert them to paid accounts. We persevered
however, and a revelation came when the data revealed our conversion
from new leads, without a free trial was significantly higher, when we
could roll out premium features instantly. As I’d taken on responsibility for
selling to clients, I distinctly remember the moment we realised this. We
soon re-focused our attention away from conversion of trial accounts to
generating and closing new leads with considerable success. Since then,
Perkbox has never looked back.
It’s a rare and commendable feature of Perkbox culture for the co-
founders to place such trust in their teams to deliver the company’s
vision. A frequent criticism of founders of startups is the instinct to micro-
manage, and reluctance to allow staff to own key areas of the business.
Perkbox actively encourages internal entrepreneurs, and is reaping the
benefits of that culture today.
Although I left a year ago, Perkbox’s current position as the UK’s fastest
growing employee perks provider, and second fastest growing startup in
the country is of immense pride for me. I can only imagine the pressure
Saurav and Chieu felt having key members of the team working almost
exclusively on a non-revenue generating feature of the business for so
long, with no guarantee of success. Were it not for other areas of the
business winning deals and delivering revenue at important moments,
Perkbox might never have been. It’s a testament to Saurav and Chieu that
their belief in both the product, and their team, never waivered. And look
where Perkbox is today. Great teams make great things indeed.
35. PRIYANKA UPPONI
When we launched one of our first customer engagement platforms
in early 2014, we had to pretty much re-define every single work
stream - both online and offline. This involved a rehaul of our content
management system, digital marketing processes, our operations and
customer data analytics, while we had to scale massively from sending
100 benefit club packs to well over a 1000 a day.
But an amazing team can acoomplish amazing things! We were able
to hit all our deadlines and deliver on time - all thanks to Alastair, Ben,
Perkbox employee since 2011-2015
34James, Shaid, Seamus, Rob, Madlena and Gemma; who all shared
an infectious work ethic and were super-fun to work with. With
such a brilliant team at the center of our processes, we were able
to take this partnership to the next level and is still running strong.
This very culture makes Perkbox what it is today - a productive and
motivate team that will continue to work together and even go the
extra mile in making something great.
37. Culture guides behaviours and becomes the very fabric of a business and the happiness culture at
Perkbox is addictive!
I’ve been on a journey that’s seen Perkbox grow from a team of 5 in a building that was on the verge of
being demolished surrounded by 000’s envelopes, cards and letters to a company that keeps having to
move offices as the team grows at mind-boggling speed, the last I heard there were 100 perkboxers!
It’d be impossible to explain the great culture that underpins that amazing growth in words but spending a
few minutes at Perkbox HQ will tell you all you need to know, but I’ll do my best.
One of my favourite quotes is “it’s never wrong to do the right thing”. The team at Perkbox have always
gone out of there way to build things that really help, even if this means going to great efforts to make an
experience that little bit better. All these little bits add up to a truly unique experience.
Perkbox is also a testament to what can be done when a small group of people focus and pull in the same
direction. I’ve seen huge initiatives and tasks completed in unbelievable time at the highest standards,
something that can only be down when a companies culture facilities that collaboration. I must admit
some of these ridiculous tasks generated from me, sorry-ish.
It’s been fun and ridiculous working with the team at Perkbox. Fun because we shared a vision of how we
could change our part of the world for the better and ridiculous because we were stupid enough to believe
we could, determined enough that we did and working that hard shouldn’t have been so much fun!!
‘It is always a pleasure working with Joe
and the team at Perkbox. They always value
ODEON as one of their discount providers
and truly understand the appetite for
Cinema within Employee Benefits’.
Greg Radford, Business Development
Manager at Odeon
Ashish Sampat, Product Manager at Worldpay
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