Big Fat Smile’s Koonawarra Community Pre-School and Anne Taylor of the Port Kembla centre were two of the big winners at the Big Fat Smile annual awards at Sage Hotel Wollongong on Saturday night,
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Mrs Taylor was excited to be to be named Employee of the Year from Big Fat Smile’s 650 employees and a large contingent from Koonawarra celebrated being named winner of the service excellence award which is chosen by feedback from parents.
“This is the first time we have held the awards at this time of the year,” chief executive Jenni Hutchins said.
“More 300 of our 650 employees are here tonight and we are going to do it at this time every year now.”
Ms Hutchins said the awards were about shining the light on Big Fat Smile’s employees, honouring excellent work and recognising the contribution its staff make to the lives of thousands of children in centres across the Illawarra and Western Sydney.
The new format for recognising Big Fat Smiles employees was called the 2017 Big Fat Smile Stellar Awards.
They evolved from what was previously called the Bravissimo Awards.
The new focus involved both recognising excellence in staff achievement and long service.
Eight award categories were introduced on Saturday night with employees nominating fellow colleagues for the top honour won by Anne Taylor.
And parents got the opportunity to identify their centre for the Service Excellence award taken out by Koonawarra.
The categories were:
- Professionalism
- Creativity and sustainability
- Innovation
- Diversity
- Work health and safety
- Trainee of the Year
- Employee of the Year
- Service excellence – employees nominated by parents for this award.
25 Big Fat Smile employees will also be recognised for 10 or more years of service to the organisation.
A more detailed story naming all the award recipients will be published in the Illawarra Mercury this week.
Ms Hutchins said the awards recognise the importance of peer recognition and enabling parents to contribute to the voting process, while highlighting elements of Big Fat Smile’s ethos in caring for children.
“Our focus of working through our values to achieve excellence is integral to our approach. Recognising the contribution employees make towards providing high quality early education and care to children and families of the Illawarra and beyond is essential. This night is one way of celebrating excellence in the daily contributions our staff make to the lives of children and families,” she said.