WE ARE YOUR
Employee engagement and retention specialists
Delivering happiness directly to home or work.
"It's still all about putting smiles on faces, and that's what we deliver."
Natalie Bamford, CEO
The Colleague Box Story
Remember that weird time in April 2020 when we had just been told we all needed to work from home, the term 'furlough' was introduced to our vocabulary and we didn't have a clue what on earth was happening to the world around us?
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This was the time when me (Natalie) and Adam worked for a tech company in Lincoln and our CEO asked us to create a gift box that could fit through the letterbox of our 75+ colleagues homes that contained contents that would put smiles on peoples faces and a personalised message of hope and encouragement.
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We didn't know it at the time but that's when Colleague Box was born. Here's our story...
Timeline
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We started Colleague Box from our kitchen table during a challenging time, when our tech company had hit a standstill. Our goal was to spread some positivity and bring joy to our colleagues through letterbox-friendly gift boxes.
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The response was overwhelmingly positive, and even Lincoln City Football Club reached out for gifts for their staff. This was just the beginning.
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As word spread, our orders began pouring in and our home quickly transformed into a bustling warehouse. Despite the challenges, we knew we were onto something special. Our biggest opportunity came when a global company requested a quote for 21,000 Halloween gift boxes. It was a daunting task, but we accepted and persevered.
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We secured a warehouse and pushed forward. Soon after, we were faced with our greatest challenge yet: creating 23,500 bespoke advent gift boxes with 12 branded gifts each.
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We were determined to make it happen and acquired another warehouse to manage the workload. Through the stress and challenges, we never lost sight of our growth ambitions.
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Today, we continue to grow and serve new customers. We are proud of what we've accomplished and excited for what the future holds.
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It's still all about delivering happiness, putting smiles on people's faces and spreading messages of positivity, hope and joy.
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Thank you for your support,
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Natalie and Adam - The Founders.
May 2020
Our first press release by Lincoln City FC
Sept 2020
We outgrew our spare room and when it came to the Pumpkin Project and moved into our first warehouse.
Dec 2020
One of our largest projects was for 23,500 DPD bespoke advent gift boxes
July 2021
We acquired our current warehouse affectionately named
The Smile Factory
About Colleague Box
Colleague Box is an employee gift consultancy helping organisations celebrate employee milestones.
Gift collections range from employee onboarding and birthdays to company events or celebrations.
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Organisations can choose from off-the-shelf gifts or create their own.
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Gift packaging, including personalised messages, is company-branded, with boxes despatched directly to home or work. Services include:
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Gift consultation: We work with your occasion/event, theme and budget to curate your gift.
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Design: Options for custom-designed packaging and messaging.
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Digital: Gift portals and microsites, including employee self-service.
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Gift subscription services: Combine your annual rewards programme into one easy subscription.
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Promotional materials: Design and order branded merchandise, simplifying everything under one vendor.
