Purplebricks

About Purplebricks

You’ve probably heard of Purplebricks. They’re the UK’s fastest-growing, second-largest, and most positively-reviewed estate agent. In 2015 they won the startups.co.uk awards for Innovative Business of the Year and Tech Business of the Year. So yeah – they’re a big deal.

They’ve been putting a modern spin on the property market since 2012 – doing away with high street branches and taking everything online. And they’ve got big ambitions for the future, with their eyes set on becoming the world’s largest estate agent.

Challenges

Purplebricks have ambitious plans for the future. “We want to be the world’s largest estate agent,” says Gemma Burke, Head of HR. “With that, comes the best talent. We want to be an employer of choice.”

Recruiting the best talent isn’t always a walk in the park though. Purplebricks were up against some well-established competition, so they needed to compete on something more than pay alone. They needed to stand out from the crowd.

“When you recruit, you have to sell the business to people too,’ says Victoria Otosio, Recruitment and Training Manager. “You need the icing on the cake.”
Luckily for Purplebricks, the property industry has seen little in the way of innovation when it comes to culture. It was time to shake things up.

Solution

Purplebricks wanted to make their commitment to the employee experience clear to all current and future employees. When Gemma Burke, Head of HR saw Perkbox on Facebook, she knew it was a natural fit.

Victoria Otosio, Recruitment and Training Manager agrees. “The best thing about the platform is that it’s so versatile,” she says. “It’s benefits people want. There’s something for everyone.”

For Lee Wainwright, Operations Director, partnering with Perkbox was an easy decision – “Perkbox is a real statement of intent as to the commitment and thought process that goes to providing an environment where our people are well looked after, well treated and respected by the senior leaders.”

Results

Perkbox has been a hit with Purplebricks employees. The first six months have seen more than 2,000 perks redeemed and over £20,000 saved.

It’s slotted seamlessly into everyone’s lives. “The app’s really simple,” says Jake Harboune, Senior Central Property Expert. “You can even search for the kind of perk you want.”

“Even when I’m at home, I’ll log on and have a good scroll to see what’s new,” says Gemma Burke.

And it’s been an easy rollout too. “I thought it would be a lot of work to manage, but it wasn’t,” says Gemma. Having a dedicated account manager has been particularly great. “It makes me feel supported. She’s on the other end of the phone any time I need her.”

Thanks to a new focus on culture and a successful partnership with Perkbox, Purplebricks are well on their way to achieving their goals.

It goes to show – it pays to aim high.