Human beings are social creatures. We need to spend time with one another to feel well – human. BigChange may be a technology company, but we pride ourselves on our humanity – there is always a person at the end of the phone if you need us; our people are unfailingly kind and considerate – and all are excellent problem solvers.
To reward this outstanding team, we host a special seasonal get-together every year. After a long hiatus for Covid, we brought it back last year. I’ll never forget the incredible atmosphere in the room as colleagues who had interacted solely online for two years met and danced the night away.
Last night, we held this year’s BigChange Awards and Thanksgiving party (we are part-owned by an American company, after all), and it was just as wonderful as last year’s bash. A glass of bubbly, and a proper sit down dinner, followed by dancing. A token of our appreciation for our people’s hard work in recent months.
Most of us are back in the office for at least a day a week now, but the event brought together more than 200 people from across the whole of BigChange’s international operations. Nothing beats meeting IRL [in real life] to raise the spirits.
The event was held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. It was a privilege to be surrounded by such incredible exhibits – slices of British history. BigChange is about to celebrate its tenth birthday, so the moment was even more meaningful.
But on to the highlight of the evening: the awards. The ceremony was a little different this year. The categories this year were all aligned with BigChange values.
Here’s a little roundup of who won what.
The “Big on Ethics” award went to business development manager Eli Sufrin. This is the second time Eli has picked up an award at our winter event. A true team player, he is always fair and authentic and puts customers’ needs first.
He was not the only person to win over two consecutive years. Fellow business development manager George Dibb, who picked up the CEO award in 2021, won the “Big on Change” category this year for his ability to help those in the plumbing, heating and electrical contracting sectors to adapt and thrive.
Sarah Cox, our Customer Success Director, won the “Mission Award” this year, reflecting her ability to generate brilliant outcomes for customers while upholding our values. Tansy Sheehy, a fellow Customer Success Director and productivity queen, claimed the Purpose Award.
Our scrum master Catriona Faulds is our “Big on Energy” champion this year as a result of her dynamic and vibrant approach to recruitment and promoting women in technology. HR advisor Maisy Hampton won the “Big on Inclusion” award for her refreshing approach to talent acquisition.
BigChange’s green champion, Installations Co-Ordinator Fatimah Fellah won our “Big on Sustainability” award for her work helping customers to slash emissions and dramatically reduce waste. Lee Wilkinson picked up the “Green Flag Award” for consistently providing an exceptional customer experience through his role as Network Customer Experience Director.
Richard Warley was hard-pressed to choose a winner for the CEO Award this year, so he chose two! Lead Software Engineer Joe Woodhead and Senior Product Manager Andy Knight (who also won an award last year) both impressed Richard with their technical skills, vision, and ability to execute complex projects.
And finally, it was a great privilege to give out my own Chairman’s Award again this year. Huge congratulations to Andy Davenport, our tireless Technical Support Manager, who picked up Employee of the Year in 2021 and remains passionate, committed, and totally irreplaceable.
Many congratulations to all of you. These awards are very well deserved. Thank you for all you’ve done for this company and your teams. What a treat to spend time with all of you - with no screens in sight! I hope you enjoyed the party.
