Territory of open dialogue: Azat Bikmurzin holds a dress-down meeting
The director of Nizhnekamskneftekhim answered to the younger generation’s questions
On 8 August, Azat Bikmurzin — director general of Nizhnekamskneftekhim — made time in his tight schedule to meet with the youth of Nizhnekamsk personally and talk with those whom the future of the country and success of the large petrochemical enterprise depend on as his equals. Students of the N. Lemayev Petrochemistry and Oil Refining College and Nizhnekamsk Chemical Technological Institute, experts of WorldSkills Russia experts were among the invited people. The Ice Palace became the rendezvous point where everyone sat on pouffes, then the NKNK director general was showered with questions.
Software under development
The director general compared the flagship enterprise of Tatarstan petrochemistry Nizhnekamskneftekhim with a big computer and stressed that he would like to talk personally and get feedback.
The goal of this dress-down meeting is to attract as many young specialists as possible, tell them about the prospects of the enterprise and solve problems of those who have already linked their life with their company. Indeed, young people asked different questions. Boilerman Ramil Askarov decided to be the first to join the head-to-head conversation.
The young man offered the director general to introduce a mobile application in the enterprise where every worker would find all the information, learn about different social programmes of the enterprise, bonuses, see his payroll and so on without problem. The worker learnt about this unique application from KAMAZ’s experience.
It turned out that the management and the IT service are already working on this issue. It isn’t clear so far how much time it will take to create the application. As the company’s director assured, such an application will start to run soon. Thanks to the application, the employees will be able to get accurate information about different programmes existing in the enterprise, get necessary documents and so on.
What is offered and what can one count on?
NKNK actively implements a number of programmes aimed to support the youth. The director general claimed that at the moment they were reconsidering the supporting programme for those employees of the enterprise who were back from the army. It is planned to significantly increase the travelling allowance for young men. This information encouraged the young people — some decided to do their duty to the country once again. Azat Bikmurzin hurried up to joke: “Turn to Shoigu with this issue”.
The support of young families goes on. 50,000 rubles are allocated to purchase the essentials in the new social unit. They also want to increase this sum. Financial aid is also given when a baby is born. The sum varies depending on their number and is from 15 to 100,000 rubles.
Going ahead, Azat Bikmurzin noted: “A new regulation is being prepared now. All employees’ bonuses will be raised. Social mortgage is also available for all employees. There is no queue to get a flat because according to the additional housing programme, which kicked off for TAIF GC’s employees in 2015, 1,400 petrochemists’ families got flats”.
Besides, a worker can count on medical support. The enterprise has 13 sports venues designed for the company’s workers, their family members as well as citizens of Nizhnekamsk. This year, 2,800 kids will spend their holiday in the company’s camps for children with the enterprise’s help. Nizhnekamskneftekhim follows this mission of developing the city’s social infrastructure since its foundation thanks to its first Director General N. Lemayev whose 90th anniversary is celebrated by the company this year.
“It is really a number one problem now”
“We have a hall of residence for students, and what should people after graduation do? Or those who are back from the army, found a job in the enterprise and those who don’t have a family yet. They have to rent a flat,” one of the young NKNK employees asked such a question.
The director of the company noted that the question was correct. Indeed, previously the enterprise had had a big room capacity (32 halls of residence). Consequently, these facilities were given to the city. “Human resources are our everything. Staff decides everything. We are going back to the slogans of the 70-80s. We want you to stay. I am saying it sincerely. We need smart, qualified specialists. Now our task is to attract specialists from other cities, too. Now we are considering an issue: if people come from other cities to have a travelling allowance. Now we’re holding talks, if shareholders approve, there will be such a regulation to attract people. It is a fight for minds. It is really a number one problem now,” NKNK Director General Azat Bikmurzin noted.
Such a lack of staff is explained by a low birth rate in the 90s and outflow of the population. According to the company’s director, 50% of the staff has been updated in the last five years.
“It is important for us to find specialists. Secondly, it is important to teach them. And teach them not only technology or profession but teach them safety. Safety is a separate topic,” Azat Bikmurzin concluded.
Students are afraid of new technologies. A student of the N. Lemayev Petrochemistry and Oil Refining College asked such a question. Ksenia claimed: “We are living in the era of technologies. There is a possibility that they will substitute people’s labour. Won’t the number of jobs reduce in the future?” Azat Bikmurzin rushed to calm the students down and explained that there would be enough work for everyone, moreover, in the petrochemical sector.
Jack London, Time Machine and Basta
After the reconstruction of the Biological Treatment Facilities, a unique system allowed reducing gas emissions into the atmosphere by 95%. Deep treatment in stages does its job. Microorganisms perform the task well.
The workers asked to permit using smartphones in the enterprise. They say that issues linked with the kindergarten are often settled in apps, which are available only in modern-day gadgets. The director immediately gave to understand that the employee should be busy with work. It is, first of all, a matter of safety.
Others complained about smokers who puff in subways and in the bust stop. The director general offered to right this problem the following way: to install video cameras in these places. “Perhaps, their presence will discourage from violating the law,” he explained. An instruction to install the devices will be sent to the enterprise’s security service.
The talk with the youth lasted for more than an hour. Different questions were raised: how to become a director general, what sport Azat Bikmurzin did, what books he read and what music he listened to.
The director general shared that he loves Jack London, listened to Time Machine and Basta, does swimming with pleasure, likes to go skiing and to ride a bicycle. At the request of the guests, the head of the company also said about the company’s development plans, the launch of a new ethylene complex, creation of new jobs. Right after the dress-down meeting ended, the director headed to another even where the status of director general wouldn’t allow doing without a tie.