This email from Helen Boaden, Director of BBC News, filtered down the chain into my work Inbox yesterday.
I am absolutely delighted to tell you that you and the rest of the News IT Support team have won the Team News Award for your outstanding contribution to News. There was a record number of votes cast this year – over a thousand – so it’s a huge credit to you all that you have won from such a deserving field.
You were described as doing a ‘cracking job’. Your knowledge, expertise, understanding and helpfulness are key to the ‘fantastic service’ you offer. Well done. I would add my own personal thanks for the many times members of the team have got me through an IT crisis – often of my own making. Your collective knowledge and patience are remarkable.
I know how much time and effort you all put in to the job, it makes an enormous difference to the success of what we do. This award is a really wonderful reflection of the high regard in which you are held by your colleagues.
I greatly appreciate your contribution to BBC News and I hope to be able to present your award to you in the next few weeks.
Many congratulations and best wishes
Helen
The “you” refers to the team leaders, not me personally.
The “feelgood factor” evades support mostly – we dish it out but don’t get much back. This really made my morning reading this, and I feel proud to be part of a team that garners such praise. Most of us very consciously do work hard to provide a good experience for users and it makes it worthwhile when they notice the effort.
I don’t know if this will be any defence in preventing the impending re-grading from Grade 6 to Grade 5 as part of the support cost cuttings mandated recently, but it can’t hurt. I’m feeling a bit more positive at any rate.