Many local companies showing team spirit
Let the workplace zaniness begin — businesses in the Edmonton area are showing their true Oilers colours as the team skates into its first playoff run in 11 years.
For Leduc’s Schwab Chevrolet Buick GMC, that means parking an orange 2017 Chevy Cruze hatchback decked out with Oilers stickers and signs outside their dealership.
“It’s a new colour for Chevy’s Cruze. Obviously, they were thinking the same way as the Oilers,” new vehicle sales manager Brian Melnyk joked Tuesday.
“In our eyes, we think it’s an exact match.”
He’s happy to have a reason to celebrate after the Oilers’ long playoff drought.
“I think everybody is just excited. You can feel the energy of it anywhere you go. We want to bring that to our dealership,” he said.
The Orange Burst Metallic car is drawing lots of attention from passing hockey fans, he said.
“We’re on a busy corner. We have had people stopping in to say, ‘Way to go, thanks for the support,’” Melnyk said. “We have the odd guy who thinks we’re winning the (Stanley) Cup, but we’re doing one series at a time.”
Psychometrics Canada has put money on the line by making a bet with the head of their distribution partner, which is based not far from the home of Oilers’ series rivals, the San Jose Sharks.
The losing president has to make a personal donation to a local charity while wearing the opposing team’s jersey for a day.
“Everybody here on our staff is pretty excited about being in the playoffs again,” said Mark Fitzsimmons, president of the pre-employment and talent management assessment and consulting firm.
“We have lots of big Oilers fans … I’m a lifelong Oilers fan, born in the ’70s, so I lived as a young child through some of the glory years and enjoyed some of the later years. Of course, the 2006 Cup run was a lot of fun, but we’re itching to be back in playoff mode.”
Psychometrics already has links to sports, with several Australian Rules Football teams using its psychological assessment tests.
Company psychologist Shawn Bakker said that like any other business, the Oilers are succeeding because they put together a good mix of talent.
“The Oilers probably incorporate different skill sets, juggling lessons beyond just playing hockey to help (players) learn about each other and build relationships … Realizing how they complement each other is really important,” he said.