TAIF-NK’s women: beautiful, happy and in love with job

Economic efficacy is foundation for company’s stable development

It isn’t always possible to find Vice Director General of Economy and Finance at TAIF-NK JSC Guzeliya Abzalina in her office — conferences, meetings, discussions, work with specialists of the service... She is impressive, fast, always in motion and her unchangeable notebook in her arms. It doesn’t almost have empty pages: she has a very tight schedule every day. So she managed to give Realnoe Vremya’s journalist a few minutes to talk and in motion.

The first words were about the most important thing: successes of the company and difficulties that are overcome together with the united team.

“The last year was tough for all sectors of the country’s economy. However, our company managed to keep its position and significantly improve both production numbers and its financial situation thanks to the staff’s coordinated actions and quickly made decisions. I am thankful to everybody who selflessly worked and continues doing one’s best for our company’s further development. Of course, at the same time I highly appreciate the contribution of workers of the financial and economic service I chair,” shared Mrs Abzalina.

One of the company’s key figures refused to talk about personal life. However, she talked about her colleagues and subordinates with obvious pleasure and pride:

“Workers of my service are mainly women. They are smart, beautiful, honest, hardworking and decent. The women of the financial and economic service have a huge responsibility on their shoulders, the confidence in the sufficiency of financial resources and economic efficacy of the whole enterprise’s activity can be provided precisely thanks to their calculations and constant control. At the same time our men are the best, we appreciate them and are rightly proud of them. I think loyalty and honesty are the most decent qualities of any person. Every worker of my service possesses these qualities.”

By the end of the short meeting, Guzeliya Abzalina remembered one of Realnoe Vremya’s recent reports about possibilities of career development at TAIF-NK and Director General Maxim Novikov’s words that everybody had a chance to show off in the company. A small piece of advice from the successful manager will be useful for those who start their career:

“I would recommend not fear to make decisions on your own. All managers are interested in developing their area. This is why enthusiasm, energy, curiosity, hard work and an initiative are the best qualities to evaluate the potential of a young specialist who is interested in growth and development. I try to support such specialists and share my experience with joy,” she stressed.

Came, saw and stayed

This is the love story of head of the Planning and Capital Investment Records Department of TAIF-NK JSC Olga Abmayeva and her favourite profession. She joined the company in 2014 to implement the project on the construction of the Heavy Residues High Conversion Facility.

The active, buzzing, bright life of the oil refinery that constantly improves and develops captivated Olga Abmayeva so much that she chaired the Planning and Capital Investment Records Department in 2018. Today whole TAIF-NK is her big love.

“At that moment we dealt with one big project — the Heavy Residues High Conversion Facility. Now our department deals with all projects implemented in the company: it is new construction projects, re-equipment, renovation of capacities in the plants or the facility of the company, we also check and calculate the cost of key equipment repairs. And every project is unique and interesting. It isn’t just numbers and patterns. You create a construction from digits as if they were bricks, and this is why a project is implemented. We calculate, take costs into account and get a production facility in the end. Our job isn’t routine but creative. And accuracy is an indisputably important indicator in it. And we must be accurate not only in calculations and records but also in the execution time of these operations. The efficacy of the performance of tasks the company has depends on this,” said Olga Abmayeva.

And all these exciting and interesting tasks are again on the shoulders of women.

“Our department turned out to be female, friendly. No, we aren’t against men in our team and when we look for a candidate for a vacant position, we don’t look at the gender — we look for a professional to do a task. The case is that there aren’t many male job seekers for the position of an economist and engineer (budget officers). But if there are some, we will certainly consider their candidacy (laughing).”

Outside work, Mrs Abmayeva is a loving mum and an avid fan. Both of her sons — older Kirill and younger Yegor play football at Neftekhimik Football Club. Moreover, they do not look for easy ways: Yegor chose one of the most responsible positions on the pitch — he is a goalkeeper.

“Audit requires an analytic mindest”

This is what head of the Internal Audit Service of TAIF-NK JSC Marina Prusakova thinks. It is a very small — just three people together with the manager — but crucial subdivision in the whole company. Moreover, it is a hundred per cent female.

“I always say that the task of the internal audit is not to find a lawbreaker and punish him or her, though this cannot be avoided. The task of the internal audit is to evaluate the internal control system from a perspective of the accuracy of information, compliance with legislation, conservation of assets, efficacy and performance of the activity of some functions and subdivisions. Actions will simply stop being done or will be done poorly without control sooner or later, which consequently will lead to material and financial losses. I think the most important thing in the job of an auditor is to be able to set up a logical chain of actions of a process, subprocess. So workers with an analytic mindset are required. Do you remember how it was at school? No spatial reasoning — you do not understand geometry, while in our profession no analytics — no audit. Only analysis of separate actions and a business process in general allows finding deviations and detecting vulnerabilities,” stresses Marina Prusakova.

As the head of the service admitted herself, she is not only in love with her profession and work but loves it very much:

“I like my job, first of all, because in this profession it is constantly necessary to learn, get a lot of new knowledge about production and technological processes. I have a degree in economics, but an auditor’s job requires knowledge not only the financial and economic sphere, it is also necessary to know labour and civil legislation, to always keep up with all changes, learn technological and production processes. Due to the specifics of our speciality, before checking something, we have to learn and be familiar with bearings, steel brands, state standards and hydrocracking...

Also, it is necessary to be a psychologist, know how to talk with people and analyse information obtained. Not to punish but to make the result of the general work of all the huge staff of the big company is greater, better and more effective.”

As for her hobbies in free time, here family is first — her husband, daughters, grandson.

“I love cooking something delicious: mushrooms filled with minced meat, bake pastries, pancakes, fry cutlets and sit, talk, discuss problems and plans with family during dinner. If the weather is good, we go to nature for a walk, it is good we have a park within a walking distance. Of course, in summer we have a tradition — to go fishing with the whole family. Hopefully, this year my grandson will open his first fishing season with us. And when I have some time left for myself, I love simply reading, real paper books,” Marina Prusakova shared with the journalist.

“I love to come to work early”

Head of the support office TAIF-NK JSC Leysan Gubaydullin confessed this to Realnoe Vremya’s journalist. She has been in the company since 2015 and she also confesses her love for both the work itself and the staff that surrounds her.

“Seeing and knowing the workload of managers, I also want to make my contribution to organise the activity of the enterprise lessening their load a bit. We try to distribute incoming documentation by spheres of activities, to leading specialists,” notes the head of the support office. And she adds: “Documents in general are very important. They register every step of our lives, since the birth, school, employment, marriage... It is always pleasant to do good for people, we want to help, this is why we try to systematise our work, simplify the process of circulation of documents from their creation and processing to sending and storage.”

The whole office makes sure everything is accurate, clear and timely. Women’s attention and women’s diligence helps here.

Outside work, Leysan is a rap gardener and master craftswoman. She loves knitting.”

Chemical analysis laboratory assistant is a female speciality

Head of the Sanitary and Industrial Laboratory of TAIF-NK JSC Nadezhda Yegorova is sure of this.

“I have 15 subordinates. It is specialists: the chief engineer, electronic engineer, two engineers and four chemical engineers, three fifth-category chemical analysis laboratory assistants and four fourth-category chemical analysis laboratory assistants. One of them — electronic engineer — is a man. The rest are women. A chemical analysis laboratory assistant is anyway a female speciality,” the head of the laboratory notes. At the same time, she stresses that they are ready to consider male candidacies for the position of engineers.

The control over the environment, accuracy of results of numerous measurements and tests is the job daily done by the laboratory’s specialists. It is tens of thousands of measurements and tests a year, a huge amount of important work meeting strict requirements for the profession. At the same time, women always remain women.

“The main requirement when doing one’s duties is to use special clothes, shoes, protective equipment, obligatorily clean. Workers of the Sanitary and Industrial Laboratory visit subdivisions of TAIF-NK. During daily morning briefings, I demand them to follow all the instructions and of course, the Corporate Culture Code. Of course, a make-up is permitted, but not a bright one. A smile isn’t mandatory but welcomed, and one doesn’t care about smiling after going 25 metres up and down to take samples of exhaust gases. Though my girls take samples, they come and go to do the measurements in a good mood, I will give them that,” Nadezhda Yegorova notes with obvious pride for her subordinates.

To find the best and not to miss “saboteurs”

The HR service in enterprises is often compared with customs workers: to get rid of “saboteurs” but at the same time not to miss the necessary specialist who wants to join the company — these are important tasks of HR managers.

Realnoe Vremya’s journalist asked head of the HR Department of TAIF-NK JSC Galina Shimanskaya how true this comparison was.

“You nailed a hundred per cent (laughing). The HR Department is the face of our company. Indeed, so-called ‘saboteurs’ who we brush off are detected during a job interview and not only necessary specialists but also workers with good potential for further career promotion and active life in our company are discovered,” noted Galina Shimanskaya. She added that a good HR manager is also a psychologist: “We work with people, while every person is an individual, everybody needs an approach. And labour legislation contains a lot of norms, constantly changes and here it is important to follow all the terms and stages spelt out in a law, do the job well, timely, without mistakes from A to Z.”

Galina Shimanskaya herself has been working at TAIF-NK for over 12 years now and as she admits herself enjoys her job as well as the “girls” she leads.

“We have a female team consisting of specialists and HR managers. Working with people, HR managers must have a very wide range of qualities. It is impossible to enumerate them all but I will single out key ones: to love one’s job, so that the work brings you pleasure, know labour legislation well, easily contact workers and know how to win them over, be stress-resistant and have emotional intelligence, that’s to say, know how to recognise human emotions both towards yourself and other people — this is fundamental.”

Also, the head of the HR Department admitted that she loved speed and in her free time in winter she dedicates at least a few days to alpine skis. In summer, she turns into an active gardener — plants flowers and collects a good harvest of vegetables.

The team’s high morale will overcome any obstacles

No matter the difficulties on the way. Head of the International Business Activity Department of TAIF-NK JSC Svetlana Chekashova is convinced of this. She has been working in the company since 2006, perfectly knows each of her subordinates and trusts everybody like herself.

“In fact, more women than men work in our department (smiling). But foreign economic activity doesn’t imply gender supremacy of either side. Our department works like one living organism,” she stresses and adds: “Without doubts, our department carries a huge responsibility: sale of products, purchase of foreign equipment, meeting requirements of the Customs and other legislation of Russia regulating foreign economic activity. But despite tough modern conditions, the team’s high morale allows overcoming any obstacles: contracts are signed, new shipping destinations, new settlement ways are appearing. 2022 was extremely tough but very interesting. The company was set tasks that demanded an answer then and there throughout the year, each new answer was followed by a new question. We overcame these obstacles step by step like alpinists and ended 2022 at the summit like alpinists too. 2023 promises to be interesting with new discoveries. Tasks have already been set and a job is done to expand outlets, new destinations.”

Svetlana Chekashova believes that the department will manage to do new, bigger tasks. Providing the enterprise with income means providing an opportunity of further development. And in this issue, the department’s specialists cannot allow themselves to let the company down.

When she has some free time, the head of the department transforms into a loving and loved spouse and mum. Also, she sometimes permits herself to dive into an interesting book.

Laboratory is a big family

Yelena Demidova leads the laboratory of the Heavy Residues High Conversion Facility at TAIF-NK (by the way, the youngest lab in the company). She admits that sometimes she has to be strict.

“A laboratory is like a big family with its difficulties and joy. So a new person joins the staff, she needs help to settle in the new place, learn new testing methods, learn safety rules during testing. We have a very friendly and professional engineering and technical staff. It is people who are the skeleton of the laboratory who constantly pass their knowledge and experience to staff, train laboratory assistants, keep an eye on the correctness of testing. We all can turn to them around the clock and they will help, consult you. Do I have to reprimand anybody? I do. The staff of the facility’s laboratory is 82 people, they are live people with their character, moods, life circumstances. This is why of course, I have to at times reprimand, punish them and simply have a heart-to-heart talk.”

Most of these 82 people are women. The reason is up in the air, the answer cannot be easily found:

“Few men in general work in laboratories. Perhaps, this is related to the specifics of the profession when, on the one hand, it is daily routine operations. On the other hand, it is operations requiring high precision and attention not to miss even the slightest deviation from the norm, which will be a signal to changes in production processes. At the same time, one has to constantly switch from one test to another. Perhaps, women are more psychologically stable (smiling). Women also have to do a lot of monotonous, routine but necessary job in everyday life,” notes Yelena Demidova.

According to Yelena Demidova she not only loves her job but truly enjoys it:

“When you see the product of your labour, you understand your necessity. This is incomparable pleasure when you get the finished product for the first time, it doesn’t matter if it is the launch of a plant or end of large-scale repairs, we are the first to see this in the laboratory.”

For the good of the company’s workers

Together with the management of TAIF-NK JSC, to do its best to meet the workers’ interests, unite not indifferent people to do bright, interesting and necessary events — these are just some of the tasks set to the company’s trade union. Chairwoman of the trade union of TAIF-NK JSC Svetlana Kazankina told Realnoe Vremya in an interview.

“The work in the trade union attracts me with communication with people not only in the workplace but also outside it: at different events (sports, cultural and so on). As an elected chair of the trade union, I am grateful for the trust of trade union members. I try to talk with everybody personally, help everybody asking for help, react to every proposal for events, we discuss it with activists of the trade union, make a decision together and if needed I turn to the management of the enterprise,” she notes.

Realnoe Vremya’s journalist met Svetlana Kazankina for the first time during one of the sports competitions where the woman managed to not only organise and cheer for every competitor but also won a medal in a chess team defending her favourite company’s honour.

As the chairman of the trade union admitted, the number of men and women among activists of TAIF-NK’s trade union is almost fifty-fifty. But women are more noticeable:

“They are more enterprising, open and communicative. But I can say for sure that our men and boys also actively participate in the events that are organised,” Kazankina stressed.

• 

  Guzeliya Abzalina

  It is absolutely wrong to divide workers by sex, even though according to their physical data women are representatives of the fine sex and cannot do some types of work like men as equals. The strength of female sprit is worthy of admiration and doesn’t stop inspiring men for deeds and achievements. I wish women create a wonderful world around themselves and have a good impact on everything around. Be happy and give your nearest and dearest happiness!

• 

  Olga Abmayeva

  I wish women both today and every day beautiful compliments, a peaceful sky, sunny days, love, first of all, home comfort and may all your wishes come true. And I would wish men be a reliable pillar for their women, energy, a lot of new ideas and a great mood.

• 

  Marina Prusakova

  I want to wish all women happiness, of course. Because the word “happiness” is so spacious that it includes health, love, success, luck. Also, I want to hope my female colleagues to daily enjoy the life, the work, the goals that were achieved, the report that was submitted. Enjoying the work we become happier. What is better for a family when mum comes satisfied and happy. Also, I want to wish optimism and positivity, a desire to set new tasks and try to do them. I want to wish men be strong in all the senses: physically, psychologically and financially. Because no matter how the world develops and changes, men have always been protectors: protectors of women, children, the homeland.

• 

  Leysan Gubaydullina

  On the eve of International Women’s Day, I first of all want to wish all women a peaceful sky above our heads, strong health, love, women’s happiness. And despite the political and natural disasters, I wish a sunny mood, and a bit of egoism because the mood both in the family and around depends precisely on women (no offence, men). Perhaps, I am outdated but I wish men courage and bravery when achieving goals, loyal friends and love of course, no matter how banal it is. Appreciate every minute, remember that life is short and one should live it decently like a human with capital H.

• 

  Galina Shimanskaya

  I want to wish women peace, warm and sunny days. Always blossom and present people around smiles because a smile is a powerful weapon. Of course, successes at work, family well-being. Be always beautiful and happy. I wish all men a strong health, patience, hope you to be reliable support and protection. Pay attention to your ladies, may your ladies be happy next to you.

• 

  Svetlana Chekashova

  On the eve of International Women’s Day, I would like to wish all women warmth, beauty and inner harmony. I am sure that if a woman is calm and happy, she makes the world around herself so. Of course, also I wish everybody a strong health and a peaceful sky above our heads. I wish every man confidence and stamina. Might the difficulties met on your ways not allow them to have their hands down because we, women, are behind our men’s strong backs.

• 

  Yelena Demidova

  I wish women simple women’s happiness: a reliable male shoulder, family, kids by their side. We, women, are the fine sex, but in fact we can do everything, the most important thing is to have to do this for. I wish men peace.

• 

  Svetlana Kazankina

  From the bottom of my heart I wish women love, mutual understanding, a strong health and well-being and men love, respect and support their mums and their other half. Don’t forget to tell them nice words, appreciate and respect female colleagues.