Kindness In The Workplace: Ervin Bata

Ervin Bata is a local business owner in the oil and gas drilling industry. He is the CEO of Hardmetals Canada. Hardmetals Canada produces parts for drilling equipment, and offers in- house CNC servicing as well. During the Covid-19 pandemic, like many other local businesses, Ervin experienced financial hardships, which naturally trickled down upon his employees. Despite suffering a severe drop in cash flow, he continued to pay his employees their regular wages. This included multiple months where the shop was shut down due to a lack of work.

In this expose for CMRU.CA, Ervin Bata goes into detail about how he could make this possible. This act of kindness resonated deeply with the workers, and has effectively developed a warmer work environment. To selflessly look out for others is one thing, but to effectively maintain the financial viability of a company at the same time is another.

Working in the drilling industry is challenging to begin with long hours, cold days, and heavy lifting. Having a strong relationship with your employer, and knowing they have your best interests at heart goes a long way. A family man himself, Ervin understands what it means to take care of other people. He exemplifies this quality every day in the workplace. His ability to run a business is a standout quality, but his care for people has always come first.

Check out this expose where we take a peek inside the drilling industry, what working there may be like, and hear some insightful words from Ervin himself.

Authors Note                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

When plotting an alternate format of media, I began to think about a means of displaying the impact Ervin and his management style has on the workplace. Simply displaying the work they do and what the workplace looks like would not serve the emotional aspect of Ervin’s deeds adequately. I decided that a photo gallery showing various moments I captured during my time there would serve this task adequately.  The photo gallery, while mainly surrounding Christmas related festivities in light of the holiday season, also show us how the culture at Hardmetals revolves around

• Boosting employee morale
• Care for emotional state of the workplace
• Keeping things light and funny
• Getting the job done, but with a smile on your face
• Implemented care for having fun
• Letting everyone’s personalities shine through

I thoroughly enjoyed my time getting to report on Hardmetals Canada, and I sincerely hope this media package inspires other companies and leaders to act as Ervin has done, and keep changing workplace culture for the better!